Little Misunderstandings
by Sigan
Summary: It all began after setting sail from Usopp's home island. Due to a little misunderstanding, a bond is formed between a swordsman and a navigator... but will their feelings withstand their adventures? Will Zoro and Nami be able capitalize on their evolving relationship? Or will everything fall to pieces? (ZoroxNami)
1. Aboard the Going Merry

Nami couldn't really help it. Perhaps it was his stoic attitude, or the way he never really spoke unless he was spoken too, but there was something about Roronoa Zoro that begged to be explored, like a closed treasure chest waiting to be thrown open and looted.

And that was to say nothing of his incredible sword skills, nor his mysterious past. Nami sat upon her deck chair, sunbathing and pretending to survey the chart of the Grand Line for the umpteenth time since they'd left Usopp's village. In truth, however, she was watching Zoro. He was training shirtless, weaving his way across the deck as he meticulously and gracefully practiced each three-sword-style move over and over again. Sure, his rippling muscles and glistening skin had a certain appeal to the only woman on the ship, but there was a look of such serene focus upon the swordsman's face as he trained that it made Nami curious. How could he practice fighting while looking so calm?

She'd witnessed him fend off the Black Cat Pirates. In the heat of battle, Zoro was more like a bloodthirsty demon than a human. Now, however, his eyes seemed to glaze over everything, and each stance and slice was so carefully and calmly executed that Zoro may very well have been a different person.

'He's been acting funny for a few days now, actually,' Nami thought to herself.

While the bounty hunter was usually somewhat reserved, he'd been downright reclusive for the past few days. If he wasn't in his room sleeping, or dining with the other crewmembers, he was practicing sword fighting with the same vacant expression he wore now. And that wasn't the only strange thing he'd been doing. His eyes had been drawn to Nami more and more over the last few days, lingering on her at mealtimes when he thought she wasn't looking or wouldn't notice. Whenever Nami caught him staring, he would look away shamefully, but not before she'd witnessed the longing in his eyes. Of course, Nami was no stranger to that sort of thing. Her body had always attracted the hungry looks of shallow, lustful men, but Zoro was… well, he was different. His stern gaze never traced her curves, nor did his eyes wander to inappropriate areas. No, whenever she caught him looking, he was always focused upon her face, with eyes so full of sadness and loss that the cat burglar would feel herself shiver from the intensity of his scrutiny.

The bounty hunter's technique carried him closer to Nami, and for the merest instant, his reverie was broken as he gazed upon her yet again. Her orange hair stuck out brightly in the light of the sun, drawing his attention from his routine. Nami froze, held in place by the strange expression plastered on Zoro's face. There it was again: that unrestrained wanting, like a starving sailor looking at the mirage of a buffet reflecting from the sea. Her breath caught in her chest as something washed over her. The swordsman was rather handsome, after all, and there was something so alluring about him…

In the matter of a instant, something powerful passed between them. Nami cleared her throat and refocused on the map clutched in her hands, which were shaking so badly the chart was hard to read. Zoro looked away, untying his bandana as he used it to wipe the sweat from his face.

"I think I'll go belowdecks," he muttered to himself, "get some rest."

As the swordsman trudged off in the direction of the forecastle, now rubbing the back of his neck and griping about his sore shoulders, Nami watched him go. His back muscles were just as lean and toned as his abdominals, but that wasn't what drew her gaze. The shrewd navigator was staring at the back of his head, as if trying to discern what it was that Zoro saw in her that made him so incredibly sad.

* * *

Dinner aboard the Going Merry was usually quite an occasion. The ship was large, especially for just four people, so the crew could practically go the entire day without seeing each other. Usopp, as the most eagle-eyed of the crew, normally sat in the crow's nest, only descending to make minor adjustments to the course of the ship, or to rest in his cabin. Nami, if not in the navigation room plotting their course, was normally sitting in the sun, or holed up in her quarters. Zoro spent his days honing his sword skills or sleeping, and Luffy had made his home in the Captain's cabin, only bothering to leave occasionally to check in on his crew, or for the evening meal. As he was captain, everyone was hard pressed to disobey him when he ordered that they gather for mealtimes.

As a result, every evening all four members of the Strawhat Pirates took up their seats around the small table in the kitchen at the behest of their captain. Normally, Nami would eat as quickly as she could before racing back to her quarters to count her gold or study her charts. Now, however, she stepped into the kitchen to realize that she was the last crewmember to arrive.

"C'mon in, Nami!" Luffy grinned. "We've already started eating!"

'You're always eating,' Nami thought, rolling her eyes at the scrawny rubber man who could eat as much as the rest of the crew combined.

Luffy and Usopp were both on the same bench, which left Nami to take a seat next to Zoro, whose arm was running along the back of the bench as he gently snoozed. It was hard to tell if he was really sleeping, so she sat down on the very edge of the bench, careful to avoid touching the bounty hunter's outstretched arm. The arguments she'd witnessed between Zoro and Luffy over lost sleep were so loud and annoying that they'd ironically kept her awake at night, and she had no desire to get into it with the swordsman.

"Well?! Come on, guys, dig in!" Luffy said cheerfully, passing out apples, wedges of cheese, and dried meats.

Zoro gave a groan and shifted slightly, mumbling something under his breath, but he didn't wake up. Nami felt herself tingle as she got an idea.

"Hey," she grumbled, fixing a disgruntled expression into place, "get up, Zoro."

With a swift jab of her elbow, Nami got the sleeping swordsman's attention. He slowly came to, gazing blearily at her as he scowled.

"What?" he asked.

Nami held out a slice of jerky for the man, "Eat."

Zoro frowned a little deeper, but held out his hand to accept it. Instead, Nami carefully put the food in his palm, taking great care to make sure their hands touched. She felt her face grow hot as she stared meaningfully at Zoro, who blanched like a man facing down a grizzly bear. Their eyes locked once again, but before Zoro's sadness manifested, he'd broken the eye contact and crammed the jerky into his mouth, taking great care to look anywhere but in Nami's direction for the rest of the meal.

The navigator felt her heart race, sure that the connection she'd felt with Zoro had been genuine. She side glanced at him every now and again to try and gauge his reaction, but he ate as quickly as he could before standing from the table.

"Sorry," he said, giving his captain a slight bow, "but I think I overdid it with my training, earlier. Too much sun… I need to go rest."

"Well, that sucks," Luffy frowned, "I hope you feel better, man. Make sure you drink some water."

All the while, Nami studied Zoro. It was hard to be sure, as her test to ascertain his feelings hadn't borne fruit, but was it possible that the great pirate bounty hunter, Roronoa Zoro… had fallen in love with her?

Her heart hammered against her ribcage as Zoro threw her one more furtive glance before making for the lower deck. Over time, Nami had come to think of Luffy and his 'pirate crew' as her friends… but she never thought she'd find herself falling for a man- no, a _pirate_ like Zoro.

Vertigo seemed to turn her world on her head as the realization struck with the force of a cannonball. Before she knew it, she was on her feet, her knees practically knocking as she exclaimed, "I gotta go to the bathroom!"

"We're trying to eat," Usopp said disgustedly, "just go and do your thing!"

And with that, Nami made a dash for the doorway Zoro had vanished into.

* * *

Wandering the dark halls of the lower decks was difficult after being out in the sun all day, but Nami still managed to be quiet as she went in search of the crew's master swordsman. A sniffling caught her attention and she paused for a moment before inching forward as quietly as possible. Peering around the doorframe, Nami saw the man she was looking for in his cabin. It was little more than a cupboard, with a bed shoved into the corner and a small table with a candlestick for light.

"Dammit all," Zoro growled menacingly, making Nami jump and withdraw her head from the crack in the door.

When she realized that he hadn't seen her, she chanced another peek.

"Pull yourself together, man," he was saying, rubbing away tears as they cascaded freely from his eyes, "you're so obvious… so stupid… what the hell was she thinking?!"

Zoro drew his sword angrily, and the blood drained from Nami's face. She feared he might start going ballistic, but instead he just laid the sword over his knees. Upon closer inspection, it was the sword he usually kept in his mouth, the one with the white handle.

"Dammit… they look so similar… aside from the hair and eyes…" Zoro absently ran his fingers across the length of the blade, hunched over as if he were in great pain.

Nami was confused. Who the hell was he talking about? And then it struck her… what if Zoro already had a woman? Nami's eyes went wide as the crush she'd been developing on the swordsman collapsed inward upon itself like a house of cards. How could she have been so stupid? A man like him, who lived on the seas making quick beris, obviously had a woman that he was trying to provide for!

Vertigo hit her again, and before she could stop herself, Nami lost her footing. She gripped the door handle for balance, but it just swung open. She fell forward, scraping her knees on the floor as she stumbled into the bounty hunter's room.

She slowly looked up, fear etched into her face… only to find that Zoro's nose was inches from her own. The tears stopped flowing as he stared at Nami in horror. Up close and personal, all the little things about Zoro stuck out at her. His hair was in need of a trim. His eyes were bloodshot, and there were shadows beneath them, as well. His muscles, which had appeared quite large out under the sun, now looked almost unhealthy, as if he hadn't been eating enough.

"Wha-Nami…"

His voice was so soft and concerned that Nami felt her heart flutter. Then she noticed how close his sword was to her throat, and she backpedaled.

"WHAAAAUUGH!" she cried, falling backward and subsequently hitting the back of her head on a wooden stool. With that, she faded from consciousness, and Nami knew no more.

* * *

When she awoke, the cat burglar bolted upright, vividly aware of what had happened, but something was different. She was laying in Zoro's bed!

"Sleep well?" asked a deep, masculine voice.

Zoro was sitting on the bed next to her. He turned and smiled, though it seemed a bit forced.

"I-I wasn't- I mean I-"

"Save it," Zoro sighed, "I know what you were doing."

"Y-you do?" Nami tensed.

"Yeah… I've been acting weird, so you were checking me out... making sure I wasn't a threat to the crew or something."

"Uh… well- I- I-"

"There's no need to lie, Nami. I know I'm a bounty hunter, but… well, I owe Luffy a debt. I'm not gonna collect a bounty on him, or any of you. You have my word… and besides, I have other things to take care of…" he wrapped his fingers around the handle of the white sword before carefully sheathing it and placing it, almost reverently, on the table, as if it were more important than his other swords.

"Why is that sword so special to you?" Nami asked suddenly.

Zoro turned and stared at her again, but this time, she saw no signs of the longing from before. Now he looked defensive, as if he were building walls around that topic of conversation with a single glance.

But try as he might, Roronoa Zoro couldn't help but trust Nami. Not only was she an attractive young woman, but something about her reminded him of Kuina… perhaps it was her facial features, or something in her attitude, but the resemblance between them was striking.

"It belonged to someone very important to me," he said shortly.

"I see… so it's sort of like your treasure?"

"Not at all," Zoro uttered, "treasure has a price… I wouldn't sell this sword for all the money in the world."

Nami snickered, "You can't be… serious."

He was. It was painted on his face as he sneered at the thief in his bed.

"If you're feeling better, Miss Nosy, I think you should go to your own quarters," the bounty hunter said.

Nami pushed herself to her feet, angry and terrified at the same time as she sized herself up against the tall, muscled man before her.

"I wasn't trying to be nosy! I came to here to ask you why you've been staring at me like some weirdo pervert!" she proclaimed loudly.

Zoro was taken aback. Sweat beaded his brow as he faltered before the young woman, who was red in the face and looked like she was about to blow a fuse.

"I… I didn't-" he mumbled.

"Uh, yeah! You did! Every time I turned around, there you were, leering at me! Admit it!"

"I-It's not like that," Zoro insisted, "seriously!"

"Well then, maybe you should start explaining yourself, because I don't think the captain would want some disgusting pervert on his boat, do you?"

Zoro snarled at Nami, but it was clear that she had him in check. The stress of the last few days welled up in the bounty hunter's eyes as he thought about how much she looked like Kuina.

"It was a long time ago, now," Zoro said quietly, wrapping his arms around himself as he looked anywhere but at the woman in front of him, "feels like forever… but at one point, I was a stupid little kid with one dream: to be the world's greatest swordsman."

"And?" Nami pressed him, sitting back down on the bed and crossing her arms and legs.

"And one day I found a dojo with an exceptionally skilled fighter… her name was Kuina. She handed my ass to me before I could blink, and from that day on, I made _her_ my goal. If I was going to be the greatest swordsman in the world, I needed to defeat Kuina first."

Nami's expression softened… so there _was_ a girl involved!

"And did you beat her?"

"No. I fought her over two thousand times… and each time she beat me. No matter what I tried, and no matter how hard I trained, Kuina managed to win every time. I got so frustrated that one night, I decided to finish things between us… we would duel with real swords, not in a dojo. I was so determined to win…"

Zoro paused, taking a shaky breath as the tears began anew. Nami slid over and patted the bed next to her, signaling for Zoro to take a seat. He did, and quickly peeled off his bandana, blowing his nose into it before pressing on.

"I still lost... I couldn't take it, and I snapped. I-I told her it wasn't fair that she always managed to defeat me. As it turned out, she had the same goal as me… but because she was a woman, her father told her that her dream was impossible."

The distraught swordsman spoke through sobs and sharp inhales, doing his best to keep from bawling like a child. Nami put an arm around him, gently rocking with Zoro as his sad story unfolded.

"She sounds like a great lady," Nami said gently.

"She was." Zoro whispered. "Shortly after we made a pact to race for the title of the world's greatest swordsman, she slipped on some stairs and died."

The redhead tensed. With her hand on his back, she could feel every muscle within Zoro tighten and bulge as he fought the pain of his memories.

"It's been ten years to the day," he uttered, "ten years since she died… and I still carry her dream with me. That sword was hers… the Wado Ichimanji… and it means more to me than life itself."

"You must really love her," said Nami.

Zoro's face turned pink, and he quickly became aware of the heat of Nami's hand upon his back. It felt like lightning shot through the contact, and he quickly took to his feet again.

"I… uh… well, I guess- maybe…"

"And that's why you were staring," Nami realized, "because-"

"-you remind me of her," the bounty hunter said, "yeah."

"You're blushing," the cat burglar smirked.

"Shut up!"

Zoro's face went from pink to red as Nami stood from the bed as well, a strange light in her eyes as she advanced upon him.

"Close your eyes," she commanded.

"Huh? No way! You're just gonna steal my stuff!"

"I said close them, sailor," Nami barked.

With a frown, Zoro gave her one last suspicious glance before closing his eyes. The sound of the woman chuckling set him on edge, and he heard her footsteps as she drew closer. Just as he was about to open his eyes, he felt arms around his neck, and before he knew it, Nami had pressed her lips against his.

"Mmmph," Zoro moaned in surprise, his hands at his sides as he wondered what to do. The contact broke, leaving them both blushing.

"That's all I'm gonna steal from you," Nami murmured, "I promise. Feel better for me, ok?"

She laid a hand upon his cheek and gave him a warm smile before she strode by him and left the room for her quarters. Zoro looked after her, his stomach churning as he stood there, shell-shocked at what had just happened.

* * *

 _ **Guess who started watching One Piece? This guy. Anyway, I've been trying to get back into this whole writing thing, and I wanted to try my hand at writing something challenging. This scene is supposed to take place just before the Baratie Arc, because I really haven't gotten very far, yet. Not to mention these goddamn feelings keep sneaking up on me, and I needed a way to let them fly free. It'll most likely be a oneshot, unless I get more inspiration as the series goes on, in which case it'll develop into a collection of one shots. For music, I was listening to Juice WRLD's Lucid Dreams, because the man has got FEELINGS. In any case, it's almost 6am... I'm gonna go to bed. Hope you enjoyed the story!**_


	2. Imprisoned at Arlong Park

Betrayal.

It had never really sat well with Zoro. As he fumed in his prison cell inside Arlong Park, straining with all his might against the ropes that bit into his wrists and ankles, he couldn't shake the feeling of sinking regret in his gut, as if he'd missed a step going down a set of stairs.

"That witch," he muttered through gritted teeth.

He was speaking of Nami, of course. The red haired woman was a pirate all along- a member of Arlong's crew. It turned out that she was only pretending to be their friend so as to steal their treasure and their ship… or at least, that's what Nami _wanted_ him to believe.

She played the heartless monster well. Her cool, calculated smirk hadn't broken once, except when Arlong had mentioned Nami's betrayal of her family and village. It had only been the briefest of moments- so quick that he might've imagined it- but for an instant, Zoro could've sworn that Nami's face had become a mask of pain and fear, like that of a wounded wolf cornered by her enemies.

The pirate hunter grinned to himself as he recalled his ingenious plan. In order to ascertain Nami's true feelings about him and the other Strawhat Pirates, he'd kicked off of the port in Arlong Park, smirking at Nami as he fell beneath the water, his hands and feet still bound.

He'd very nearly drowned, but much to his relief, his instincts had paid off. The 'heartless' navigator of Arlong's crew had dived beneath the waves and saved him. Then she'd saved him a second time when she insisted he be locked away, rather than just executed on the spot.

'Something just doesn't feel right,' Zoro thought to himself as he relaxed against his constraints. With no sword, and no way to break his bonds, the only thing left for him to do was sleep. Unfortunately, that seemed nigh impossible. No matter what the bounty hunter tried, he still found that his head was filled with sunlit images of the red haired girl.

Then another memory popped up. This one was different, and a little hazy. Maybe he'd been drinking, or perhaps he'd been severely sleep deprived, but Zoro recalled a moment, deep in the dark recesses of the Going Merry, where he and Nami had kissed.

It hadn't been much more than a prolonged peck on the lips, but Zoro felt his heartbeat increase, and he found he was glad for the solitude, because his face burned and was probably very red.

No, something else was _definitely_ going on with Nami. She'd gone through far too much with Luffy and the others… not to mention her unspoken connection with Zoro. What was she hiding? Why was she claiming allegiance to Arlong? And why had she looked so tormented when the fishman brought up her family?

The sound of an old door creaking open interrupted Zoro's musings, and light blinded him as he gazed at the person in the doorway.

It was Nami. She looked just as resplendent as ever, but her eyes held no friendliness. She had a frown on her face and a knife in her hand. She flipped it around so that the blade was facing Zoro… and brought it down in a single swift cut.

The swordsman breathed a sigh of relief. The ropes that had been burning his limbs were now severed. Before he could thank Nami, she turned away from him and made to leave.

"You should get outta here. Arlong will be back soon."

Zoro felt his anger build within him. It was one thing to be betrayed, but he knew full well that Nami was hiding something. And what was more, she was well aware of the fact that the swordsman was onto her. They were alone now… so why keep up the pretense?

"I'm not going anywhere unless you come with me," mumbled Zoro.

He grinned with a determined satisfaction as Nami turned to scowl at him, her hands shaking as she clenched her fists.

"Don't be a moron," she snapped.

She tossed his sword onto the floor for him. Their eyes met, but Zoro didn't blink. After long years spent perfecting the art of the sword, he was a master at reading the eyes of his enemies. The navigator's deep brown irises were tougher to read, but Zoro could still see it. Beneath their cunning brilliance, he could still make out the twinkling familiarity within them.

"You know what? I think I was right," the bounty hunter laughed, putting his hands behind his head as Nami glared at him, "you really are just a sweet girl who doesn't want to see anyone else get hurt."

She blushed and turned away from him, "Don't make me punch you again."

"That was a cheap shot and we both know it," Zoro muttered, his abdomen still twinging painfully at the memory of Nami's strike, "still, I owe you for saving me, so I guess we'll call it even."

"I've saved your ass three times now, so you still owe me," Nami corrected him. "Leave while you still can. _Then_ we'll be even."

"Like I said, I'm not going anywhere unless you're with me."

Nami's heart hurt as she tried to ignore Zoro's words, but it was futile. All she had wanted was their treasure. How had she gotten sucked in by that annoying crew of pirates? How had she fallen for the swashbuckling swordsman?! The dam in Nami's chest broke open. Eight long years of suffering and struggling manifested in a single punch as she turned and drove a fist at Zoro, who was suddenly on his feet. She probably would've broken his nose, but the bounty hunter caught her fist and swung it around. Nami's arm was wrenched behind her back as she grimaced, keenly aware of how close her body was to his.

"What are you gonno do, kill me?" she wondered aloud.

"Only the first sucker punch is free, and I have no intentions of hurting you. But while I've got you here, there's something you should know…"

As upset as Nami was, she was still curious… what could Zoro have to tell her that was so important? And why did he smell so nice? And he was so warm, too…

"I'm not gonna give up on you. None of us are. I know that you're a good person. One way or another, we're all gonna get out of this, together. I promise."

Zoro released Nami's arm. She spun on her heel, and the swordsman was sure he was about to get slapped. Instead, he felt warm arms around his midsection as Nami hugged him tightly. His wounds ached and cried out in agony, but Zoro held back a growl. He wouldn't let anything ruin this moment. He'd needed this reaffirmation ever since Nami stole the Going Merry. It was as if she were trying to apologize for all the trouble she'd caused with that single hug. And something told him that she needed it just as badly as he did.

"I… I'm sorry," Nami mumbled into Zoro's chest.

The bounty hunter felt his eyes grow hot and watery, but he blinked away the unshed tears and smiled. He gently patted Nami's back, feeling her shake and shiver as she tried to regain control of her emotions, which had broken loose after being restrained for so long. She stepped away from him, wiping her eyes and fixing her antagonistic frown back into place, but the illusion was poor, given her red, teary eyes.

"Go," she said again, her voice shaky and weak. She left Zoro alone in his cell to ponder just how hard it was to have to pretend to be so heartless, when in all actuality, Nami cared a great deal for her friends.

"I'm not leaving without her," Zoro vowed to himself.

He stooped down and grabbed his sword before taking his seat once again. He would give Nami a solid head start… and then he would kill every single fishman in retaliation for all of the times she had suffered at their hands.

The minutes ticked by, and Zoro waited. He focused on the image of Nami… the look of terror and pain and rage she'd worn was so fresh and agonizing that the bounty hunter could feel himself growing angrier by the second. He would focus her pain, and do his best to make sure that she was properly avenged. Nothing would tie her to this place by the time Zoro was finished.

"Time's up," he muttered coldly, using his thumb to unclasp his sword from its sheathe, "let's do this."

* * *

 ** _A/N: Did someone order angst? Cuz I gotta whole heaping load for ya right here! Anyway, I am slowly but surely watching One Piece, and it occurs to me that if I had the time, I could probably do an entire rewrite of the series focusing solely on a relationship between Nami and Zoro. Sadly, time is one thing I don't have, so I'll make do with these little moments (of which there are a ton in the Arlong Park Arc. Nami is such a badass!) But I felt that this particular scene could use a little... sprucing up. As such, I tried to make it a continuation of sorts. If I find more moments like this in the series, I think I'll keep this fic going. I mean, they'll all be oneshots, but they'll be related... so they're not oneshots? Ugh, brain hurty. Anywho, I was busy rewatching this specific episode to maintain some semblance of chronology, so I wasn't listening to music as I wrote it... but for music, I think 'That Girl' by All Time Low suits this chapter quite nicely. Thanks for reading._**


	3. Celebrations at Cocoyashi Village

It had been three days since the defeat of Arlong and his crew of fishmen. Three long days of revelry, drinking, and celebration, and two long nights of the same. It was the third and final night of the townsfolk letting loose, and tomorrow the Strawhat Pirates would set sail from Cocoyashi village.

Nami had said her goodbyes to the spirit of Bell-mere, only to be shoved over the threshold of her old home. When she looked back, however, no one was there. The navigator couldn't help but laugh to herself. It would seem that the marine turned foster mother was more understanding than most people realized, and knew than Nami was on the right path to fulfilling her dreams. With one last smile, Nami left the house, and the ruined tangerine orchard, heading back into the village.

* * *

Most everyone was laying in the streets, drunk and tired from an endless party, but here and there, a few pockets of life burned on into the night. Stragglers stumbled over sleeping people as they made their way to and from these ongoing hotbeds of music, dance, alcohol, and food.

Nami had never really been one for raucous celebration, especially amongst people whom had pretended to hold her in disdain for eight years. To see them all smiling and happy made her sort of… uncomfortable, and the way they all seemed to completely forget the harsh things they'd said to her during her service to Arlong was quite convenient. Either that, or they were just so drunk they couldn't remember.

Some people thanked her as she carefully picked her way through the streets, and a few besotted townsfolk even hailed her as a hero. They insisted that, had Arlong kept up his end of the bargain, she'd have been able to buy them all their freedom. Nami smiled and nodded, but she heard none of it. She was emotionally and physically drained, and more than anything, she desired to be left alone. After managing to escape the clutches of a gaggle of girls around her own age, she slipped into an alleyway off of the village's main thoroughfare.

She was smiling tiredly, watching the villagers from the shadows as they slumbered in the streets. It was odd to see them all so carefree as they smirked in their sleep.

"Oh, hey Nami."

Sitting on a crate, and looking as though he'd just woken up, Roronoa Zoro nodded to her. Nami could detect the acrid scent of spirits on the man, and sure enough, he lifted a large tankard to his mouth, chugging for a moment before smacking his lips.

"Zoro? I thought you were in the hospital."

"The doc patched me up," Zoro said shortly, not meeting Nami's eyes, "besides, it's nothing a little sleep won't fix."

Nami's perceptive gaze wandered to the pirate hunter's abdomen. Beneath his shirt, she could make out the fresh bandages that were more than likely layered over new sutures. The doctor was nothing if not thorough.

"How did that happen?" Nami pointed with her chin at the injury.

She expected Zoro to frown, or to clam up as he usually did whenever someone asked him a personal question. Instead, the bounty hunter grinned from ear to ear, his cheeks touched with color from the drink.

"I met the greatest swordsman in the world," he explained proudly, "it was after you stole the ship. Anyway, he sliced Don Kreig's massive galleon in half with one stroke of his sword… and then he kicked my ass in a duel."

"So, let me get this straight," Nami said slowly, "you saw a man slice a galleon in half… and then you challenged him to a duel?"

"Yep."

Nami frowned at the swordsman, "And it didn't occur to you that it might not be a good idea?!"

"Good idea or not, Hawkeye Mihawk is the greatest swordsman in the world. If I have any hope of taking his title, I will need to defeat him."

The way he spoke with such simplicity and conviction was refreshing for the navigator, even if his goals seemed idiotic, and borderline suicidal. It was certainly easier than dealing with Arlong and his fishmen, where every word was a double edged sword.

"Budge up," Nami sighed, kneeing Zoro in the thigh.

He jumped, looking uneasy before sliding over and making room for Nami. She sat down next to Zoro, savoring the silence after three long days of excited cries and drunken yelling.

"So, Nami…" the bounty hunter said.

"Hm?"

"Are you coming with us tomorrow?"

There was a strange tone to Zoro's question, as if it carried more weight than he had implied. The man looked nonchalant, but he sat incredibly still, as though tense and alert. He didn't look at Nami, and he took great care to avoid accidentally bumping up against her, which was difficult, considering the size of the box they shared.

"Well, I'm the navigator, aren't I? I have to go with you," Nami said.

At once, the tension she'd felt was gone, and a small smile pulled at the corners of Zoro's mouth.

"That's good," he muttered.

"Wait a second… were you worried I was gonna stay here?" asked Nami.

Zoro wet his lips and swallowed past the lump in his throat.

"Well I- I figured it was a possibility. I mean, you have friends and family here, not to mention a tangerine orchard that could use some fixing up."

Nami grinned at Zoro as sweat beaded his brow.

"You were scared I was gonna stay here!" Nami teased him. "You thought I was gonna abandon my obligations as the navigator, and you were afraid of losing me."

"No way," Zoro huffed, "I just- I mean, I'm a sailor, and no one else really knows navigation like you do- shut up!"

"You would miss me if I decided to stay, wouldn't you?" she laughed, elbowing him gently. "Come on, Zoro! Just admit it! Don't be shy! You can tell me how you really feel, you know. We're the only ones that are still awake around here…"

The swordsman felt his face go hot. A part of him- the part that had just chugged enough liquor to put a grizzly bear to sleep- felt like telling Nami she was pretty. Something told him that she would just laugh, though and say something cheeky like ' _Thanks, I know!_ ', so instead he just pouted and looked away from the woman, grumbling to himself.

Nami's giggling died down for a few moments as she sighed. "Well, for what it's worth, I would miss you."

Zoro blinked, stunned by Nami's words. He turned to look at her, noting how brightly her eyes seemed to shine, even in the darkness surrounding them. Something took hold of Zoro at that moment… and before he could stop himself-

"You're really pretty," the bounty hunter blurted out.

"What?" Nami stared at the man.

"I- I meant to say that I'd miss you, too."

Zoro almost felt the urge to lean back as Nami stared at him. Was she mad? Should he start running? Could he outrun Nami in those heels?! He doubted it…

"You're sweet," she said finally, giving Zoro a small smile.

The cat burglar snuggled up against the swordsman, careful not to touch his bandaged wounds as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"So tired," she groaned.

And just like that, Nami fell asleep.

Zoro felt as though there were butterflies in his gut, and for a moment, he was tempted to scratch at his new sutures. Instead, he leaned back against the building beside him, looking up at the stars that winked down from between the rooftops.

'Geez, you're such a moron,' he berated himself.

The cat burglar moaned, taking a hold of his shirt as she sank a little lower on the bench. In the darkness it was hard to tell, but Zoro felt like Nami was smiling. Over the last three days, he'd learned that Nami hadn't smiled very much since she'd begun working with Arlong. And after hearing Nojiko's story of their childhood together, it was easy to understand why. Looking at Nami now, however, Zoro felt quite fortunate to see a side to her that most people didn't even know existed.

He felt an odd warmth in his palm, and realized that, in her sleep, Nami had taken a hold of his hand.

'Is she really asleep?' he wondered. After a few heavy heartbeats, he decided it didn't really matter.

"G'night, Nami," he mumbled, putting his chin to his chest and dozing off, following the example of the other townsfolk.

* * *

 ** _Everyone else watching the Arlong Park Arc: Luffy vs. Arlong is so intense! I can't look away!_**

 ** _Me watching the Arlong Park Arc: How can I manipulate this so as to spam FF with fluffy drivel?_**

 ** _Everyone else: What?_**

 ** _Me: What?_**

 ** _Hey readers, it's me, ya boi. Back at it again with more lovey dovey crap, cause feelings or whatever. Sorry if there are some mistakes, it's almost five in the morning and I am crazy tired, plus my editor is currently on hiatus. Anyway, here we have some more NamixZoro, because why not?! If I don't write it, someone else will! Or already has... *Remembers that I'm almost two decades late in watching One Piece*_**

 ** _Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter._**

 ** _*MUSIC THAT I LISTENED TO WHILE WRITING THIS*_**

 ** _IRobot-Jon Bellion_**

 ** _Nervous-The Neighborhood_**

 ** _Whispering-Alex Care**_**

 ** _**-I was listening to this on a One Piece amv made by KayaaHiko called 'The Falling'. If you haven't seen it, look it up. It's tits._**

 ** _That's all for now, folks. Eat your greenies and don't play too many video games._**


	4. Aftermath of Loguetown

After riding the storm out of Loguetown, Zoro's nightmares had only gotten worse.

They always began normally enough. He would be relaxing on the Going Merry's poop deck (a term that Luffy still couldn't use without giggling like an idiot) when all of the sudden, the calm, sunny day would become stormy. He would run to and fro, battening down the hatches and tying off rigging as he prepared for the gargantuan storm that was sure to rip the Going Merry to shreds.

Then he would notice it: none of his crewmates were anywhere to be found. No one but Zoro was aboard the Going Merry. He was by himself, on a ship that he couldn't possibly sail without at least two other people, and a violent tempest headed in his direction.

Zoro froze. After having the same reoccurring nightmare, he knew what would happen next, and he wanted to prevent it. He'd have given anything to be able to wake up or snap out of it, but the dream played out, as it had for the last couple nights.

"Hand me that rope!" commanded a familiar female voice.

The bounty hunter turned, seeing _her_. It was that girl from Loguetown… Tashigi? Yeah, that was her name, but why was she on board the Going Merry? Zoro felt his arm extend unbidden, and he handed the woman a bundle of rope that had been slung over his shoulder. Wind whipped between the two people as chill pinpricks of water began to sting their flesh.

"What are you staring at?!" Tashigi cried exasperatedly. "Get to the helm and unsecure the wheel or else our rudder could shatter!"

"On it!" Zoro said. He seemed to watch through a stranger's eyes as he turned and sprinted for the wheel, quickly undoing the slipknot that held it steady. That was where everything went wrong. The storm blew in like a great howling demon. The ship rocked on massive black waves. With nothing else he could do, Zoro took the wheel and tried to maneuver the ship.

A scream from above caught Zoro's attention. Tashigi, who'd apparently been trying to raise and secure the sails, gave a cry as the rocking ship made her lose her footing on the yard. She fell, tumbling towards the deck below. Zoro released the wheel and leapt over the railing.

"KUINA, NO!" he bellowed.

But with no one at the wheel to keep the ship from capsizing, it did just that. Before he could catch the falling woman, Zoro found himself submerged amid the wreckage and debris, with no sign of Tashigi, Nami, nor any of his friends. No matter how hard he swam, he could not break the surf, and so the swordsman slowly suffocated, sinking into the black water as the icy arms of death embraced him.

* * *

Zoro awoke with a start. He was in his cabin aboard the Going Merry, which was still whole and sound. Tashigi, the woman from Loguetown who'd challenged Zoro, was nowhere to be found. In fact, he hadn't seen her since that strange wind had carried them apart…

Two days had passed since they'd managed to escape. The storm that they had used to outrun the Marines had dissipated fairly quickly, leaving calms seas and bright blue skies.

But the storm within Zoro did not cease. In fact, it roiled and raged so heavily that the beautiful skies and navy sea seemed to be an affront to how he felt.

Tashigi, the Marine from Loguetown, was the spitting image of Kuina. It was to the point where, whenever Zoro tried to imagine what Kuina would've looked like had she grown to adulthood, all he could picture was Tashigi.

And now she was his enemy. She hated him. He had seen it in her eyes as they had argued like children in the street. She believed him to be a criminal, and a no good bounty hunter turned pirate. To have her glare at him with Kuina's eye, and shout at him with Kuina's voice… it had taken every ounce of Zoro's fiber to not turn and flee like a coward. Everything he had done up until that point, he'd done believing he carried Kuina's dream on his shoulders. It was the weight behind his blades, and the strength that gave him an edge over any opponent he faced.

So to have her ghost come back from the grave and call him a ne'er-do-well had cut him deeper than he'd expected. And what was worse, he was starting to forget where Kuina ended and Tashigi began.

That was only the star of his problems, though.

Because on top of his childhood friend having an unrelated identical twin, Zoro found that Nami was harder to look at. At one time, Zoro had found himself drawn to the cat burglar, due in part to some minor resemblance to Kuina. There had been some tender moments between them since they'd kissed, but as more time passed, Zoro had found himself so preoccupied with his training and his ambitions that the thought of love hadn't really had a chance to blossom.

And now…

Well, now it was all he could think about.

On one hand, Zoro had formed a bond with Nami. They had become good friends, especially after Arlong's defeat. She was good looking, charismatic, and mischievous. It was a no brainer that he'd feel _something_ for her, even if that something was hard to define at times.

But on the other hand, Tashigi was on Zoro's mind day and night. And she looked so much like Kuina… it was as though life had given him another chance with the friend he'd lost all those years ago… only to place them on opposite sides of the board.

'Maybe…' Zoro thought to himself.

He gripped the handle of his new sword, Kitetsu III. They had told him the blade was cursed… and he'd picked the sword at the insistence of Kui- of Tashigi. Could it be that the sword wouldn't affect his normal luck, but would instead drive him further and further from the woman who looked just like-

Zoro sat up in his bed and put his feet on the floor. He held his head in his hands and massaged his temples with his palms as his sleepiness made the floor spin.

'You can't compare every woman you meet to a dead girl,' he berated himself, 'it's not healthy. Kuina is dead and gone, and Tashigi is my enemy!'

He gripped the hilt of Kitetsu III so hard that his knuckles turned white. After taking a breath, Zoro stood and stretched, intending to go to the cargo hold and retrieve some water when his eyes were drawn to something glowing on his table.

"What the…"

Zoro narrowed his eyes, only to find that there was no glowing golden light. It was a piece of yellowed parchment reflecting the candlelight, folded up neatly and tied with twine… a note?

Nami, as the ships navigator, was prone to using that exact parchment paper for her charts, as it held up better at sea… but why would she leave him a note while he was sleeping?

The green haired swordsman unfolded the parchment and read it slowly, taking care to comprehend each word and understand the message in its entirety. Fortunately for him, it was pretty straightforward.

 ** _Zoro,_**

 ** _Come by the navigation room when you have a chance. We need to talk._**

 ** _-Nami_**

Zoro gulped, sweat beading his brow as he stared at the 'i' in Nami's name, which was dotted with a miniscule heart.

* * *

The navigation room of the Going Merry was located right across from the captain's cabin, as the captain of the ship often consulted the navigator, and plotted the course of the ship. Or, at least, that's how it normally worked. Luffy wasn't the greatest with charts, and didn't even know the difference between latitude and longitude, so Nami normally kept the navigation room as her second room and study. After his first disastrous visit to the room, Luffy was given a lifetime ban, as he had very nearly burnt down the ship when he knocked over a lantern.

Zoro, on the other hand, had no such restrictions, though he knew better than to enter without knocking.

He stared at the door without really seeing it, so entrenched in his thoughts that he didn't notice Luffy march into the captain's cabin, his arms laden with piles of dried meats.

The bounty hunter took a deep breath and raised a hand to knock when-

"AND STAY OUT!"

The door to the navigation room was thrown open to reveal Nami, driving her heel into Sanji's face as she kicked him out.

"Of course, my darling, anything you say!" Sanji replied ecstatically, wincing as she dug her heel a little harder into his forehead.

The navigator looked up, tossing her hair out of her face when her eyes found Zoro.

"You're here," she said.

Her tone immediately became softer. She watched Zoro closely, but he kept his emotions carefully guarded. Sanji pushed himself off the floor and glared suspiciously at Zoro, who raised an eyebrow.

"Are you here to hit on Nami again?!" Sanji demanded, grabbing Zoro's shirt.

"You're delusional," the bounty hunter said quietly, prying Sanji's hands from his collar, "I've never hit on her."

"Sanji, I'm feeling a little peckish," Nami said suddenly, batting her eyelashes at the cook, whose eyes erupted into little hearts, "could you go get me something to eat?"

"I'll be back with the most sumptuous meal ever, just for you, my darling Nami!"

"Thanks!" she beamed as Sanji threw one last scowl at the swordsman and pushed by him on his way to the kitchen.

The smile slid off Nami's face as she found herself facing Zoro's careful scrutiny.

"I got your note," he held up the neatly folded square of parchment.

"Come on in," the navigator said, "Sanji will be gone for a while. Whenever he cooks for me, he always takes care with the presentation."

The bounty hunter huffed. "Sounds like you've got him wrapped around your little finger."

Nami stood to the side and let Zoro into the room with a smirk. "I can't help that I'm a natural beauty."

As a swordsman, Zoro knew when to pick his battles. If he responded to her quip, he could easily get roped into an argument, or end up saying something embarrassing. He stood in the musty room, knowing better than to touch any of Nami's precious charts or atlases as she rounded her desk and sat in her chair.

"If this is about that hundred thousand beris you loaned me, I haven't had the chance to even spend it, let alone make enough interest to pay you back," Zoro stated flatly, trying to fathom the curious look in Nami's eye, as though she were x-raying him.

"You've been avoiding me," Nami replied simply. The way she said it left no room for argument. She leaned forward in her seat and put her elbows on her desk before interlocking her fingers and setting her chin on top of them.

"I've been catching up on sleep," Zoro explained, crossing his arms, "after making landfall for so long, my sea legs aren't as strong as they were. I'll be back to full strength in a few days."

"Cut the crap," Nami ordered, earning herself a reproachful glare from Zoro, "I know something else is going on…"

The green haired man said nothing. His blank expression twitched slightly, and that was all Nami needed to know she was right on the money. She grinned maliciously for a moment before shrugging.

"Well, if you don't wanna talk about how you've been acting, we can just talk about your loan interest," Nami prompted. "Let's see… there's gotta be a late payment fee… then I think I might have to jack up your interest rate, seeing as you've become an unreliable debtor…"

She began counting off strikes to Zoro's 'debtor status' on her fingers. With each tally, Nami's evil grin got a little wider. The swordsman's blank expression quickly turned sour.

'There's no way I can tell Nami about that girl,' Zoro thought to himself, 'not even if she raises my interest to five hundred percent!'

"-and that's just the tip of the iceberg," she was saying as she rounded the desk and smirked at Zoro, mimicking his stance, "as for your interest rate… well, I can't say I'm happy to do this, but I think I'll have to take it up to seven hundred and fifty percent."

Zoro's calm broke like a weathered sword blade.

Before Nami knew it, Zoro was so close to her that she was leaned against the desk. She had backed up so fast in the face of his anger that a bottle of ink rolled off of the desktop and shattered. The bounty hunter smiled as he grit his teeth and leaned in as close as he could. He had his arms pinned on either side of Nami, so she had nowhere to go. His breath was hot on her neck. She was forced to meet his eye, but far from looking frightened, the navigator looked… excited? And maybe even a little angry?

"That interest rate is bullshit," Zoro muttered, "cut me a deal."

"You know what's funny," Nami said with no humor in her voice whatsoever, "I think this is the most intensity I've seen out of you since we left Loguetown."

Loguetown and Kuina- no… Tashigi flashed through Zoro's mind for the millionth time.

"There it is again," Nami said, putting her face in his as the swordsman let go of the desk and turned away from her, "that look. I've seen it before, on men who would swear on their lives that they'd seen a ghost. What happened to you in Loguetown?!"

Nami marched in front of Zoro, her hands on her hips as she forced him to face her. The swordsman scowled… what was he supposed to say? That he'd stumbled upon a doppelganger of his long lost friend, and that it had thrown all of his feelings for Nami into questionable disarray?!

'Hey, that's not bad,' Zoro realized. 'I just have to make a few omissions!'

"Spill it, or I'll raise your interest rate so high you'll still be paying me back when you're eighty!"

Nami clicked her heel against the wooden floor for a few moments while Zoro chose his words carefully, and then….

"I met a woman in Loguetown," he said, "and… well, she was-"

"Oh," Nami said, her face falling for a moment before it was hidden behind a blank stare.

"W-wait a second, Nami," Zoro said quickly, "she looked just like-"

"I really don't want to hear this," the navigator said, holding up a hand and heading back to her chair behind the desk.

Zoro watched Nami, who took up a quill and a fresh bottle of ink. She stared at a half finished chart for a moment, trying to figure out where she'd left off.

"You don't have to explain anything," she insisted, as if she could sense Zoro's thoughts churning in his head, "and don't worry about your interest rates… I was just messing with you."

She kept her eyes on her work, but the swordsman watched her hand, which shook as she traced the coast of an Island they'd passed earlier that day.

"The girl I met… she looked just like Kuina," Zoro admitted. Nami's quill froze for a moment before she took up her work once more.

"That girl who died?"

"Yeah."

"Do you think you'll you be seeing her again?"

Nami's question seemed innocent enough, but Zoro couldn't lie.

"Undoubtedly… she's a Marine. She told me she wouldn't rest until she'd taken the Wado Ichimanji from me."

"You mean to tell me she's a Marine that's going to be coming after you?!" Nami asked loudly, standing so quickly that she nearly knocked over her chair.

"Uh… yeah." Zoro frowned, taken aback by Nami's reaction.

A small smile pulled at the redhead's lips before she turned her eyes to her charts once more to avoid looking at the bounty hunter.

"I see…"

Her tone was much more mellow and relaxed. When she looked up again, she very nearly laughed at the look of dire confusion of Zoro's face. For a single terrifying moment she had thought that Zoro… never mind.

"So… was there anything else you wanted to talk about," the bounty hunter wondered, putting his hands in his pockets as he looked around the navigation room, which was littered with bookshelves, tables, and scattered charts. Nami rounded the table, and took Zoro by surprise as she wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face into his chest.

"Sorry," she said, "I wasn't trying to pry… I just thought-"

Nami broke off. Zoro gently patted her back. Aside from the red on his cheeks, he showed no emotion.

"Uh- don't worry about it," he muttered, "I'm fine. It's just a little stressful when a dead girl comes back to life and wants to kill you."

The navigator laughed. It was a wonderful melody for Zoro, who felt as though his soul might be pulled from his body by the sound of it. They stood on the spot, holding each other for a moment more when a knock at the door made then jump. Nami and Zoro broke apart just as the doors were thrown open.

"I brought you some lunch, Nami!" Sanji declared.

"Thanks, just set it over there," she smiled.

Sanji stared pointedly at Zoro with dislike in his eyes, "Shall I take out the trash, as well?"

"I was just leaving," Zoro said, bumping shoulders with Sanji on his way out.

"Asshole," the blonde man mumbled, rubbing his arm. He noted Nami's smile and red face as she absently dug her heel into the rug.

"You ok, Nami?" the cook asked, his eyes outlined in hearts once again.

"Great," she said whimsically, biting her lip as she smiled, "never better."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

 _ **Back at it again with a decent sized chapter this time. I was continuing my quest to watch the entirety of One Piece (just how many episodes are there?!) when Zoro met Tashigi in Loguetown, and I knew I had to take the chance to mess with everyone's favorite swordsman (aside from Mihawk, maybe). Also, I realized this could be used to cause problems between Nami and Zoro, because, I mean, who doesn't love to read about characters who are 'will-they-won't-they' only to have the relationship jeopardized immediately? Right? Right?! Geez, it's already five in the morning again... time for coffee!**_

 _ **MUSIC!**_

 _ **Mercy-Lewis Capaldi**_

 _ **The Last of the Real Ones-Fall Out Boy**_

 _ **Cliffy-Matt Maeson**_

 _ **Again-Timmies ft. Shiloh**_

 _ **Soft Skin-Timmies ft. Shiloh**_

 _ **That's all I've got for now. Hope you guys enjoyed it.**_


	5. Landfall at Whiskey Peak

Nami hated the Grand Line. It was a navigator's nightmare, and after arriving in Whiskey Peak, she had identified the trip there as her greatest shame to date.

As the navigator, it was her duty to make sure the ship sailed in the right direction. She was in charge of plotting the course, managing the heading, and in times of great distress, she took command of the ship to avoid disaster. When weather patterns changed, it fell to Nami to decide how to handle it. Even with two extra people helping (as that idiot, Zoro, had decided to take a nap) the unpredictable weather patterns of the Grand Line had very nearly gotten the better of her.

She'd done her best to put on a brave face when she announced that her skills were completely useless to the rest of the crew, but in reality, Nami had been terrified. She'd put in countless hours studying navigation. There were rules that, no matter where one went on the seas, should've always been true. The Grand Line didn't care, though. It seemed to laugh in the face of common sense, and logic played no part in its design.

For a single, gut wrenching moment, Nami was scared her friends would abandon her. Aside from her navigation skills, she really didn't bring much to the table… any other pirate crew might've thrown her overboard and forged on.

And now, as she swilled a tankard in the tavern of Whiskey Peak, she couldn't help but feel as though she had failed miserably.

'They might've been better off just marooning me on an island or something,' she thought sadly.

It was as though she had studied a set of rules all her life, only for the rules to change at the drop of a hat. She felt worthless, tired, and her pride had taken a serious pummeling.

"Why the long face?" Zoro asked from beside her.

Nami glared at the swordsman. While the entire crew had been working hard to keep the Going Merry afloat, where was he?! Snoozing on the deck, covered in snow, without a care in the world!

"Mind your own business," Nami pouted, blinking away unshed as she stared into her tankard. They had told her it was filled with sweet grape distillation with no alcohol… so why did she feel so dizzy?

"Aw, come on, Nami," Zoro said, scooting closer to the woman, "there's no need to be so angry! We got through it, right?"

Nami frowned at Zoro. Even with the red patches on his cheeks, his eyes seemed sharp… in fact, he'd been quiet up until that point, looking around carefully, with those eyes that were as piercing as any sword…. Why was _he_ on edge?

'And how did he know I was thinking about the journey here?' Nami wondered.

"Listen," Zoro paused to take a swig of his drink, "you can't let the little stuff drag you down-"

"We almost died because I assumed that maritime laws remained the same on all the seas," Nami muttered, "I didn't actually think the Grand Line would be such a nightmare."

"But you got us through it," Zoro clapped Nami on the shoulder, "that's what counts."

"No, we barely survived," she corrected him, "and…"

Nami didn't want to say it, but that was the Strawhat Pirates first real journey on the Grand Line. From the sound of it, navigation only became more unreliable as you went further into it. If they had barely survived their maiden voyage, how would they fare on their next journey?

"Hey," Zoro gripped Nami's shoulders, dragging her from her dark thoughts, "listen to me, Nami. You are a _great_ navigator, ok? It's not your fault the Grand Line is such a mess. And no matter what, you should never blame yourself. Especially if you tried your best."

"My best almost got everyone killed," Nami mumbled sadly.

She didn't know why she felt so emotional. There wasn't supposed to be any alcohol in her drink, but something made her want to cut loose. After being cooped up on the Going Merry for so long, and after feeling so out of sorts from her failure, she needed to know that she wasn't alone.

She glanced around. Sanji was hitting on twenty different women at the same time. Luffy was stuffing his face, and Usopp was telling tall tales. They didn't care that she hated herself… they had just smiled and nodded, ignoring Nami's failure… only Zoro had bothered to acknowledge it. Only _he_ had bothered to tell her it was alright.

The lighting in the tavern wasn't the greatest, and Zoro and Nami were set up in a sort of VIP booth. No one was paying them any attention. The navigator steeled herself for what she was about to do as butterflies tumbled over each other in her stomach. With a look of grim determination, she leaned in and pecked Zoro on the cheek.

"Thanks," she said quietly, "for believing in me, I mean. I… I needed it."

Zoro shook himself before giving his trademark cocky half-smile and saying, "Heh, yeah. No problem."

The party wore on, and Zoro still couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. How was it that everyone was so happy? The Strawhat Pirates had never gotten such a grand reception… it wasn't as though they had goods to trade, or money to spend. The only people that Zoro knew to enjoy the presence of pirates were bounty hunters. Even other pirate crews knew better than to mess with each other.

The mayor of Whiskey Peak came around, offering up a one hundred thousand beri reward for a drinking competition. As it was just grape concentrates, Nami and Zoro both chose to participate, drinking and drinking until their senses were addled and their minds were clouded.

That's when it hit Zoro: the drinks had been tampered with. Not only that, but his instincts told him that there was definitely something wrong. A name came to his mind as he drained his twelfth tankard, and laid his head on the table.

'Baroque Works,' he realized, tuning out the noise as he feigned sleep, knowing that he would have to fight as soon as his comrades succumbed to their exhaustion.

But his clouded thoughts quickly carried him to a gentle sleep, wherein he saw visions of a familiar red haired girl, laying in a sun-chair and beaming at him. They only seemed to last a moment when he noticed that everything was quiet. Opening an eye, he saw Sanji, Luffy, and Usopp snoring on the floor. Nami had her head down on the table, her tankard still clutched in her hand. A few armed men were whispering by the front door of the tavern.

'A whole town of bounty hunters,' Zoro thought to himself, 'should be fun.'

* * *

Later that night, after the other Strawhat Pirates had fallen asleep, the battle had started out easily enough. Zoro had managed to defeat most everyone with ease, tearing his way through their ranks with glee. The minions of Baroque Works were no match for his skill. Even with their guns, none could stand against him, save the named agents.

But they, too, fell as Zoro defeated them one by one. That's when things became a bit more complicated.

Two highly ranked agents from Baroque Works entered the fray, hunting a princess from the kingdom of Alabasta.

From there, Zoro decided to take a break. It seemed as though the problem would take care of itself, as that girl, Ms. Wednesday, had turned out to be the princess, and the 'mayor' of Whiskey Peak, codenamed Mr. 8, was none other than the captain of the royal guard of Alabasta. Both were spies who'd infiltrated the Baroque Works organization, and as such, they had to be eliminated. Luffy had been successfully dragged out of harm's way, which left Zoro to stand on the sidelines and watch as the criminals tore themselves apart.

And then Mr. 8, in a dire turn of events, had been defeated by Mr. 5. This left him with only one alternative: to appeal to a strength greater than his own. The defeated agent went so far as to offer Zoro a reward, and all the swordsman had to do was save Ms. Wednesday.

"Please, protect the Princess! I'm begging you!" Mr. 8 cried.

Zoro's patience wore thin as he shouted at the prone man, "Forget it! I'm not helping you! Until a few minutes ago, you were still trying to kill me! What do you think I am, a fool?!"

A familiar voice rang out from above Zoro.

"So, about this reward…"

He looked up, seeing Nami sitting on the roof of a building.

"I'll take it," she grinned. "Alright? How does a billion beris sound?"

Zoro stared at her incredulously, "Nami?"

"W-what did you say?" Mr. 8 gasped, clutching his throat as he tried to find his voice.

"I thought you were asleep," the bounty hunter muttered dryly.

"Oh, please. Give me some credit! Do you really think I'd fall sleep in a town that welcomes pirates?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at the swordsman as she slid off the building she'd been sitting on and landed in the street.

Zoro huffed and looked away from Nami, who immediately turned her attention to the man on the ground. He was so beaten and bruised from his encounter with Mr. 5 that it was amazing he was still conscious.

"So how about it?" she asked, crouching in front of the man. "You give me one billion beris, and I'll save your precious princess… otherwise her chances aren't looking too good."

In the distance, the sounds of explosions could be heard… most likely as a result of Mr. 5 flicking boogers all over the damned place. Zoro shivered at the thought. Luffy was bad enough for picking his nose, but a man who could make his snot explode? It was enough to turn the bounty hunter's stomach.

"I… I am just a lowly soldier," Mr. 8 stammered, thinking quickly, "if you wish to discuss the reward amount, you'll have to speak to the princess…."

Nami scowled at the old man before grinning. It seemed that even in such a wretched state, he was no slouch when it came to using his wits.

"That means I'd have to rescue the princess first, right?" she asked, clearly annoyed.

Zoro frowned. He always knew Nami to be a bit of a penny pincher, and she loved treasure more than… well, just about anything, but it seemed a little harsh to negotiate with a man that had been begging for aid only moments ago. Zoro had only denied the man because they'd been locked in mortal combat. Nami had no such grudge.

"Fine," she decided, standing up and brushing the hair from her face, "I'll save your princess."

Zoro tightened his grip on his sword. Unless Nami planned on going all gung-ho and pulling out her bo-staff, that only left one person to do the deed… and sure enough-

"Well, what are you waiting for? Go get her!" Nami demanded.

The swordsman grit his teeth as a vein popped in his neck.

"No way! You're the one who took the contract, _you_ go get her!"

"As if! You still owe me money, remember?! You still have three hundred percent interest on your last loan to pay off!"

"I don't owe you anything!"

Nami gnashed her teeth, her mind working furiously as she wondered how to get the swordsman to listen to her.

"Come on, Zoro, don't be so dense! The reward is definitely mine, but it benefits everyone on the ship!" she said, smiling and batting her eyelashes.

Zoro felt his insides clench uncomfortably. For a moment, he contemplated going out and doing as she asked. His legs stiffened as he prepared to run after the blue-haired princess. Then an image popped into his head of a certain blonde cook, and his pride anchored him in place.

"No," he said again, narrowing his eyes at Nami, "you can't push me around like that idiot cook."

Nami flipped her hair again, red in the face as she scowled at Zoro. Why did he have to be so damned stubborn?!

"Hold on… what does Sanji have to do with this?" she asked, her anger temporarily forgotten.

Zoro looked surprised for a moment before he rubbed the back of his neck and looked skyward.

"Well… I mean, you act like I'm just supposed to run off at the drop of a hat, and say please and thank you as you walk all over me," he explained quietly, "and I'm _not_ Sanji."

"Idiot! I'm not walking all over you! I'm trying to get us paid for all of our daring-do and hard work!" Nami shouted.

The bounty hunter frowned, but his temper was at its end. "Then ask nicely! And maybe offer to split the reward! Don't act like I'm another sycophant for you to order around!"

Mr. 8 watched the verbal battle like a tennis match. He was still lying on the ground, which meant he was able to stay out of sight and out of mind… but it felt to him as though the argument was about more than just a reward (and one that he hadn't even really promised, at that.)

"I'm not splitting the reward," Nami stated flatly, "I have plans for that money!"

"Why is it always about money with you?!" Zoro exclaimed.

"Because I know what it's like to go without it!" she hollered.

"That still doesn't excuse the way you treat others!"

The navigator was so mad that her ears turned the color of strawberries. Zoro felt as though he was in danger of getting hit with her bo-staff. The crewmates faced each other, both of them looking particularly angry about something.

"I hate to interrupt this lovers' quarrel," Mr. 8 chimed in, "but if someone doesn't act soon, the princess will surely die."

"What- we're not-"

"I-it's not like that-"

Nami and Zoro turned their indignation on the old man, but it was hard to refute his point without wasting even more time. Unless someone got moving soon, the princess would be annihilated by exploding boogers.

"Ok, Zoro, how about a compromise?" Nami suggested, flinching as another explosion shook Whiskey Peak.

The swordsman had great red patches on his cheeks, and wouldn't look Nami in the eye as he replied, "I'm all ears."

"You get the princess, and I'll give you something in return."

"No way, cupcake," he said, turning his back on the navigator, "I'm gonna need something in advance."

Nami blanched, "I don't have anything on me right now! Weren't you just nagging me about being greedy?!"

"Hey, you wanna play the heartless witch? Two can play at that game."

Zoro waited, letting Nami fume as she cast about for ideas. She didn't carry her valuables with her… what could she possibly give him as payment? An idea came to Nami. It was irrational, sure, and probably stupid, but if she was lucky, it would be just enough to spur Zoro into action. Either that, or he'd have to live with a dead princess on his conscious.

"Come here, moron," the navigator sighed, stepping towards the man, who quickly backtracked.

"What do you think you're- mmph-" Zoro wasn't able to finish his question. Nami had grabbed his face, and in an act of spiteful resignation, she'd pressed her lips against his. She kept her eyes shut tight as she held Zoro firm. For all his idiocy, Nami had to admit he wasn't a bad kisser.

Mr. 8 looked away from the indecency. Was that how things worked with pirates?

Zoro pushed Nami away. "I was talking about monetary compensation, dumbass!"

"You greedy bastard," she muttered through gritted teeth. Unless she went and pulled some beris from her stash, there wasn't much else she could give him.

"Still, I guess it'll have to do," the swordsman smirked, pulling his bandana from his arm and tying it around his head.

With that he kicked off, sprinting like a cheetah after the sounds of explosions and violence. This left Nami alone with Mr. 8, who whistled a lame tune as he tried to completely ignore what had just transpired.

"Yes… well, thank you for your… erm… assistance," he mumbled.

"That princess had better pay up, old man," Nami said haughtily, stomping off in the opposite direction as Zoro.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

 _ **After posting the first part of this chapter, I was actually considering scrapping the second half, but I decided not to. I put in a bit too much work to just throw it out, even if I felt it lacked a certain... something... No clue what it was, I just wasn't a fan. Maybe it was the recapping I had to do just to get to that specific scene. In any case, it's posted now, so regardless of how I feel, it's available for your perusal and subsequent disapproval! Hooray!**_

 _ **I didn't really listen to music while writing this, as I had to go back and rewatch the same scenes a few times to correctly summarize the recap, but as I watched Zoro fighting the Millions, I had the song 'X Gon Give It To Ya' stuck in my head... do with that what you will.**_

 _ **Thanks for reading.**_


	6. A Cornered Wolf in Little Garden

Of all the ways Zoro had imagined himself dying, being turned into a wax statue had never even broke the top twenty. He had envisioned it being a glorious life or death struggle. Perhaps he would sacrifice himself to cover his friends' escape, or maybe he would be an old, grizzled master, facing off against the world's next greatest swordsman.

Nope… all things considered, being encased in wax had never really been a part of his plans. It just went to show that life was full of surprises.

Because as luck would have it, he was slowly but surely being encased in wax, courtesy of some weirdo with devil fruit powers. Unlike Nami and Vivi, Zoro managed to keep his calm, but the more he stood there, the more the situation began to grate on his nerves.

Death was not frightening for Roronoa Zoro. He'd come face to face with it on multiple occasions. Such was life when you dedicated yourself to the mastery of the sword. In truth, aside from the agonizingly slow part of the wax encasement process, he found that it was one of the easiest and calmest ways to go. No hassle. No fighting. All he had to do was strike a pose and wait for his demise… but he couldn't do that just yet.

Even if he was ready and willing to give up his life, there was no way in hell he'd let Nami die.

"This isn't good," Nami sounded terrified, "my hands won't move! Can't we do something?! I don't wanna die like this!"

"My body's already beginning to turn stiff," Vivi gasped, "what are we supposed to do?!"

Zoro's scowl deepened. If only he hadn't been captured, he might've been able to sneak up on that creep with the big number '3' on his head. Then again, the aforementioned creep had somehow known that making a wax replica of Nami was a sure way to get his attention, thus luring him into the ambush. If they had used just about anyone else, Zoro might've been able to realize something was amiss and get the jump on his enemies.

'Of course, they would know to use the one person that makes it hard for me to think straight,' Zoro lamented mentally.

A part of him wondered if they had used a wax figurine of him to capture Nami before he pushed the thought aside. Wax was coating his body quickly, and he needed to act before he lost the ability to move. Unfortunately, with his feet stuck in the wax, there wasn't much he could do.

"Zoro, do something!" Nami pleaded.

The swordsman turned to look at the giant, who was trapped beneath wax as well. The look on the giant's face reminded Zoro of a cornered wolf…

And that's when Zoro got an idea. When wolves were caught in traps, they would chew their own legs off for survival. With blood loss as a factor, the swordsman would be sure to die if he tried something so stupid, but it gave Nami a chance at survival.

"Hey, giant," Zoro said.

The giant grunted in reply, and turned its one free eye on the bounty hunter.

"You can still move, right?"

Another grunt. Zoro was glad to find someone with whom he could communicate so easily.

"Good, so can I," the bounty hunter grinned, unclasping his katana, "I say we take 'em down together. What do you think?"

Zoro drew his sword, and the absurdity of his statement seemed to wash over the scene. He heard Nami gasp as realization hit her, and his confident smile twitched.

"H-Hold on a second," Nami said suddenly, "what are you doing?! Are you-"

"Yeah," Zoro drew his other sword.

"Quit messing around, you're not gonna cut your own legs off!"

The disbelief in Nami's voice was almost enough to make Zoro roll his eyes. It wasn't like they really had much choice.

"I'm not messing around at all," he stated, "it's the only way to get us out of this situation. Are you in or out?"

Before Zoro had even finished asking his question, Vivi objected to his plan, "Are you insane?! No way! Even if you get down from here, you won't get far without legs!"

"There's no way to know for sure until we try," the swordsman pointed out with a wicked grin. "So are you saying that you'd rather just sit here and die? Why should we make it easy for those guys to kill us? Dying quietly, without a struggle, doesn't make you any less dead, right?!"

Zoro waited. He heard the Baroque Works agents muttering amongst themselves. A low rumbling laughter caught his attention, and he turned to look at the giant who was smiling once again.

"Alright, I'm in! Let's cut them to pieces," the massive warrior growled.

Nami chimed in, "You're not serious about this, are you?! How are you planning on fighting them afterword?!"

"Who knows? But… I plan to win." As he spoke, Zoro locked the leader of the agents, Mr. 3, with his best and most malicious stare, like that of a man with nothing to lose, and no fear of dying. Sweat beaded the devil fruit user's brow as the swordsman stared at him with an almost hungry expression, as though the thought of bloody violence was both enticing and imminent.

Vivi stared at the bounty hunter curiously, but it did not go unnoticed. Nami couldn't help but side glance at the princess, taking note of her unbecoming slack jawed expression and wide eyes. The way the princess stared at him made Nami… angry? But why on earth was she angry? Other women could look at Zoro, right? There was no reason for her to be jealous…

The navigator stared straight ahead. Why the hell was she jealous?! There was nothing to be jealous of!

"Wait!" Vivi called out, "I'll fight with you!"

Nami's eyes widened as she turned to stare at Vivi incredulously.

"You'll WHAT?!"

Oh yeah, she was definitely jealous. And of a woman who'd just volunteered to get her legs cut off, no less. As a woman who prided herself on self preservation, Nami couldn't have been more ashamed of herself.

"Good, get ready," Zoro said, completely oblivious to Nami's mental struggle.

"And now… let's GO!" the giant cried, his muscles bulging as he strained against his bonds.

Zoro turned his swords inward, aiming just above his ankles as the agents cried out in fear. Nami gasped and looked away, but she still felt sick as she saw the blood spray. Zoro grit his teeth. The initial cut was deep… it would only get harder from there. His arms began to shake as he readjusted his grip and tried to steady his breathing. After a moment's respite, he began to drag the blades to and fro. They cut clean through his muscles and sinew as easily as a hot knife through butter. After two strokes, he paused. He tried not to look down, but the red that slowly crept over the wax drew his eyes. Perhaps it was the blood loss beginning to get to him, but there was something remarkable about the color of the blood.

He shook himself and began again, fixing an image of Nami in his head. As long as she got out of there unharmed, it was worth any price.

"Zoro?"

He turned to find the navigator staring at him. She kept her eyes locked on his, but he could tell that she had seen the damage. She always looked a little pale when she saw blood.

"I'm fine," he said tiredly, "just a little further."

Zoro was close to the bone, now. With every push and pull of the sword, he could feel the metal scrape against it. His nerves were on fire, but he'd gone into shock pretty quickly. That would help him when it came to the battle. He thought of himself running around on little stumps, hacking and slashing at the ankles of the Baroque Works agents. It very nearly made him laugh, but the horrified look on Nami's face stifled his humor. She was terrified, and her eyes were filled with unshed tears.

"Don't look if you're squeamish," Zoro murmured, trying and failing to flash a smile. It looked more like a pained grimace. He broke the eye contact and shut his eyes, drowning out the world as he prepared to cleave through the bone. After that, one quick stroke would finish the job, and he could get to work on the enemy.

A fierce warcry rang out from the other side of the clearing as Luffy, Usopp, and Carue all barreled in from the forest, their eyes white with rage as they paid no heed to their trajectory.

"When I get back, I'm gonna kick your aaaaaaass!" Luffy's defiant shout was punctuated by all three 'rescuers' crashing into the forest on the other side of the clearing.

"Luffy!"

Nami shouted. Now it was Zoro's turn to feel jealous. He'd been about to take his own life to save her… and now she was too busy with Luffy to notice. Zoro's ire was quickly lost as he felt woozy. Relief rushed through him as he realized that, if all went well, he might be able to keep living.

'It's more time to spend with Nami,' he realized.

By the time his sluggish mind had caught up, Nami was yelling at Luffy to destroy the wax pillar. The captain of the Strawhat Pirates looked lost for a moment.

"Oh, are you guys in trouble?" he asked.

Zoro scowled. While he was glad he would get to spend a little longer with Nami, he wasn't particularly pleased with Luffy's timing.

"Nope, no trouble at all," the swordsman snipped.

"Wait… Zoro, your leg!" the navigator said.

"Yeah, made it about halfway through, I'd say." Zoro lied.

In truth, he'd probably left a few good grooves in the bone, and was definitely more than half way through. It was lucky that chopping was nigh impossible from where he was standing, otherwise the leg would've been severed already.

"AND HOW EXACTLY IS THAT NO TROUBLE AT ALL?!" Nami yelled.

She sounded about ready to cry, but the swordsman was feeling pretty good. After losing so much blood, he had a comfortable drowsiness going that seemed to cancel out the pain quite nicely. Zoro cracked a grin, as though sharing a private joke with Luffy.

"So, Luffy, what do ya think? Could you go ahead and take care of this pillar for us? I think I've done enough," the swordsman said.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

 _ **Oh boy, did somebody ask for another crappy rewrite? Good, cause I got one right here for you. I'm not a huge fan of these things, myself, because you have to rewind the episode and watch it, and then try to write as much as you can, not to mention the fact that I'm pretty much just doing a play-by-play. Let's hope there's opportunity for a bit more freestyle ZoNa in the near future, or else I'm gonna have to make some... and if I have to do that, the rating just might change. Might have to anyway, now that I think about it. Zoro cutting off his own legs is pretty gory.**_

 _ ***Music***_

 _ **I've had the song 'Holding Onto You' by 'Twenty One Pilots' stuck in my head for a couple days. Give it a listen!**_

 _ **Hope you enjoyed the story thus far!**_


	7. A Fever Nami Can't Sweat Out

Little Garden was far behind Nami and the other Strawhat Pirates, and for a moment, it seemed as though the crew was slowly slipping back into its old routines. Luffy and Usopp were goofing off. Zoro was busy training vigorously, and Sanji was back in the kitchen. Everything seemed to be looking up for them as the sun climbed higher into the sky.

Nami was sitting on the deck, taking a breather. Somehow, the events of Little Garden had left her tired in the extreme, and she found it hard to stay awake as the sun beat down on her. Vivi stood beside the deck rails, staring intently at the eternal pose as the cat burglar wiped the sweat from her forehead.

"Vivi? I'm sorry but I…," Nami paused, suddenly hit with a nauseating headache as her vision became blurry for a moment, "…need to rest."

Vivi smiled, "I understand Nami. Don't worry, everything's under control. I'll keep an eye on our course."

The redhead tried to stand, only to have her strength fail her. Nami crashed to the deck, shaking feverishly, and covered in a sheen of sweat. Vivi was immediately at her side, and put a hand to the woman's forehead.

"You're burning up," the princess muttered. "Hey everyone! Come quick!"

Zoro, who'd been fully concentrated on his training, paused as he heard the distress in Vivi's cry. He cocked his ear, listening to the exchange as Sanji and the others peeked out from within the kitchen.

"What's wrong, Vivi? Are you ok?" Luffy inquired.

"Nami has an awful fever!"

"WHAAAAT?! NAMI'S SIIIICK?!" cried Sanji.

From where Zoro was stationed on the forecastle, he could see that Nami didn't look good. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, and she looked frightfully pale under the hot sun, save her ears and forehead, which were red. Sanji, Luffy, Usopp, and Carue all crowded around her, and Zoro's gut twisted painfully. Setting down his weight set, he vaulted the rail and began to clear some space.

"Step back," he ordered, "give her some room."

"Don't tell me what to do," Sanji snarled, gripping Zoro's wrist as he pushed the others away from Nami.

"He's right, Sanji," Vivi said quickly, fixing the chef with a look that said ' _now is not the time for this_.'

The blonde man's eyes flickered to Nami, who groaned and shook on the deck, before he released Zoro.

"Mr. Bushido, can you help me carry Nami to her quarters?" Vivi asked, rolling up her sleeves.

"I can carry her myself," the swordsman huffed, stooping to lift the cat burglar, "just open the doors for me."

The first thing Zoro noticed was that Nami was extremely light, as if she barely weighed anything… or maybe that was all of his training.

'No,' he told himself, 'even with my regimen, she should weigh more… maybe she hasn't been able to keep any of her food down.'

Vivi held open the door for Zoro, who quickly slipped past her on his way belowdecks. Sanji made to follow after him, but Vivi stopped him.

"I need cold water and clean rags," she told him.

Sanji nodded, running to the kitchen to fetch a bowl, some water, and a few clean towels. Vivi didn't wait for Usopp or Luffy. She followed Zoro's heavy footsteps as he made his way to Nami's cabin.

* * *

"Zoro," Nami muttered, "what're you doing?"

"I'm gonna lay you down," the swordsman said, "you're really sick."

"I'm fine," she insisted.

"That's a bunch of bullshit and we both know it," Zoro sighed, ducking beneath a low beam, "you're clammy, sweaty, and your heartrate is out of control."

"Zoro… gotta tell you something…"

"What is it?"

"You're face," Nami slurred, "it's… squishy."

She pinched Zoro's cheek between her thumb and forefinger, chuckling lamely before her hand fell across her chest and she faded from consciousness once again.

When the princess found the bounty hunter, he was kneeling at Nami's bedside, his eyes closed. Nami had been tucked in and swaddled in her blankets, but she had already left an outline of sweat on her pillow.

"Any changes?" Vivi asked him.

"She woke up for a few moments, but she's out of it. I don't know if it's relevant, but her heartbeat was irregular as well. It was like it was beating so fast I could barely feel it."

The green haired man clenched his fists for a moment before taking a deep breath and sighing. He made to stand, but very nearly toppled over.

"Mr. Bushido!" the princess said, rushing to his aid.

"I'm fine…my legs are just sore."

"Maybe you should stay here," the princess suggested, "Nami will need your support."

"Sanji will be here in a few minutes," Zoro said, wriggling his toes to stretch his calf muscles as he turned away from Vivi.

"So?"

"So, we mix about as well as oil and water. Nami won't be able to rest with Sanji trying to pick a fight with me, and my time is better spent training."

For a moment, Vivi wanted to stomp her foot and demand that Zoro stay. Call it woman's intuition, but she had always felt that there was… well, _something_ between he and the navigator. How he could be so heartless was beyond the princess' comprehension… until she noticed the way he was shaking.

By all accounts, Zoro was by no means a weak man. Even after the most strenuous of training sessions, his muscles did not spasm or shake. So why was he shaking now?

And that's when Vivi realized why he wanted to leave. It wasn't because he _didn't_ care for Nami, but because he _did_. He had no experience with medicine, so he would only get in Vivi's way. Furthermore, training would keep him away from Sanji, and help him to burn off his anxiety over Nami's condition. It also allowed everyone else a moment to worry while he looked after their course.

"I see," Vivi said quietly, "if that's the case, just be careful not to overdo it. I'll keep you updated on her condition whenever I can spare a moment."

"Thanks," the swordsman muttered, itching the back of his head as he made for the steps leading topside.

* * *

Nami had actually managed to sleep for a few minutes when all the shouting had awoken her. Luffy screamed something about Nami dying as Sanji, Carue, and Usopp whipped themselves into a panicked frenzy. Vivi raised her hands, trying to calm the men as their imaginations ran away with them.

The ill woman's headache throbbed violently as she finally deigned to speak, and when she did, everyone in the room fell silent to hear her.

"Listen," she uttered, "I'm fine."

She pushed herself upright, keeping the cold compress on her forehead as Luffy cried out in joy."Yay! She's cured!"

Usopp chopped the rubber man on the back of the head. "SHUT UP!"

Nami panted, silently deliberating as to whether or not she should share the tragic news of Alabasta with her comrades. On one hand, she was dreadfully sick. Without a doctor, Nami was fairly certain death would come for her on swift wings. On the other hand, Vivi's homeland was wracked with infighting, and if the newspaper was to be believed, the situation had only gotten grimmer.

'What's one life compared to a million?' the cat burglar thought to herself. She felt a weak smile pull at her lips. Nami had always been so concerned with self-preservation… could it be that the selflessness of a certain debonair swordsman was rubbing off on her?

"Go to my desk," she said finally, "open the second drawer. There's a newspaper in the bottom."

Nami sat quietly as Vivi retrieved the newspaper and began to read. A cursory glance was all the navigator needed to determine that the princess was quickly overcome by cresting waves of disbelief and horror.

Luffy asked about what the paper contained, and the princess told them. Three hundred thousand royal soldiers had defected to the resistance, resulting in a shift in the balance of the war. This meant that the royals were at a disadvantage, and things were quickly coming to a head.

"The uprising in Alabasta will seriously escalate now," Nami summarized through heavy breaths. "Things will get ugly. That paper you're looking at is three days old. I'm sorry I didn't say something earlier. We can't change our speed, so I didn't want to worry you. There's nothing anyone can do right now. You understand, Luffy?"

She turned to speak to the captain of the ship, who was not very well versed in the basic principles of politics, war, and rebellion. The rubber man focused with all his might, frowning as he tried to wrap his head around the complex societal issues.

"Things are bad and they're beyond our control?" he asked.

"That sunk in better than I'd hoped."

Usopp butted in, "Nami, look, you need to see a doctor right away!"

The navigator fixed her usual smug smile into place, but it was ruined by her pale skin, red ears, and shaky, sweaty limbs.

"I'm fine. The thermometer's broken. I mean, c'mon, nobody gets a temperature of one hundred and four." She pushed herself to the edge of the bed, and prepared to exert all of her energy so as to leave without causing concern. "It's probably just a mild case of sun-stroke. There's nothing a doctor can do for me that time won't. Besides, we don't have time to hunt for one, we need to head straight for Alabasta, right?"

She raised a hand in farewell, but paused, turning back to look at the worried faces of her friends. "I appreciate the concern, thank you."

And with that, the cat burglar left her quarters, leaving everyone to watch her as she went. She paused outside the trapdoor to her room, leaning heavily against the wall as she tried to catch her breath. It had taken all of her willpower to leave without arousing suspicion, but she feared it wasn't enough to throw them off. The symptoms of her fever were too severe to hide, and her head was throbbing painfully as she savored the dark interior of the ship, which was cool and comfortable.

While Nami was the navigator, the final destination of the ship was the captain's choice. If they ran out of food, Luffy would have to humor Sanji and make port to resupply. If a severe enough storm rolled in, it fell to the navigator to guide them as best she could.

But now the fate of a Kingdom could hang in the balance, and the time it would take to find a skilled physician could be the life or death difference for over a million people. It would be the height of folly for Luffy and the others to try and find a doctor. Now that they had seen the paper, they were sure to make the right choice.

The cat burglar took another deep breath before putting one foot in front of the other and making her way outside. As soon as she opened the door, sunlight speared her retinas, rendering her temporarily blind. The sound of clanking metal was heard, and as her eyes adjusted, she saw Zoro sitting cross legged on the railing. He was doing curls as he kept his sights on the horizon.

"Hey, Zoro."

Nami's voice was weak as she leaned against the railing. It felt as though the sun was baking her alive, but she also felt cold and clammy. The bounty hunter watched her in his peripheral vision.

"Why are you walking around? Shouldn't you be in bed?" he asked.

"I'm fine," Nami lied, wondering if she had ever been less fine. She hated herself for lying to her friends. After going through so much with all of them, it broke her heart to think that she might die… on the other hand, she wouldn't be able to live with herself if they went to a doctor, only to have Alabasta fall into chaos. She almost asked Zoro to hold her hand, but it wasn't worth him getting sick, too, so she remained silent.

"You don't look fine," Zoro muttered, staring straight ahead.

Nami scowled at the man, but he didn't look remotely concerned. For all his faults, he only ever spoke his mind when it suited him, and he wasn't one to worry about the opinions of others.

"Shut up," she sighed.

Nami grabbed the eternal pose from where it sat at Zoro's side, unused due to his inability to read it. If the pose was correct (and Nami trusted it far more than she trusted the swordsman's navigational skills) they were starting to veer off course slightly.

"Zoro, what the hell have you been watching all this time?!" she snapped.

The swordsman's ears turned red with embarrassment. "What the heck are you talking about? We've been going straight ahead as you ordered."

"Yeah, straight ahead at a right angle! Look at the eternal pose! It doesn't lie!"

"I don't need to look at it, I've been using that big cloud over there as my guide," Zoro said carelessly, pointing off into the sky.

"YOU MORON," Nami shrieked, "CLOUDS MOVE AND CHANGE SHAPE CONSTANTLY-"

The irate navigator sucked in a breath and grasped her head in both of her hands. Somehow, yelling at Zoro had exacerbated her headache, turning it into a full blown migraine. The bounty hunter watched her carefully, ready to catch her if she fell again.

"OW! Geez, my head's killing me!" she muttered.

"So leave the navigating to me and go to bed!" Zoro rallied hotly.

Nami grit her teeth as her frustration mounted. How could she have wanted to hold this guy's hand a few short moments ago?!

"I wish that I could, but I'm here because I can't trust you with this," she retorted angrily.

It was harsh of her to say, but she didn't care. Zoro stared at the back of her head, embarrassed and angry. He had been trying to help out while Nami recovered. The fact that she didn't trust him to keep the ship going straight didn't sit well with the bounty hunter at all.

He was about to say as much when she lifted her head up.

"The air… it's changed," she said.

"What do you mean? The weather's been nice like this all day."

"Never mind, just get the others."

Zoro fumed for a moment. With Nami in her weakened condition, it would be no effort for him to hoist her over his shoulder like a sack of flour, carry her to her quarters and lock her there until she got better, or until they found a doctor. The urgency in her voice suggested that there was no time to argue, however, so Zoro set down his dumbbell and called to the others.

They all emerged from the mess hall, and Sanji said something or another to Zoro, but Nami wasn't paying attention. She was standing at the rail, trying to get a better sense of what was happening with the wind. It smelled like rain, and she would swear that it was getting muggy… or was that just her fever?

"Nami, what's up?" Sanji asked. "It's a perfect day, the sun is shining, the waves are quiet…"

It took her a moment to respond as she tried to overcome her drowsiness. "The wind."

"Wind?" Sanji muttered.

"There's a powerful wind. It's heading right this way," she said. "I think-"

Nami froze. Just as she had turned around, Luffy had appeared and put his hand on her forehead.

"Luffy?"

He began to holler. "You're head's on fire! You've gotta stay in bed, and we need to get you a doctor!"

As thoroughly exhausted as Nami was, her anger seemed to feed her energy as she yelled at Luffy.

"Maybe you should mind your own business! This is my normal temperature, now quit being so stupid and PULL THE DAMN ROPES!"

Everyone was stunned for a moment. The sick woman's shout was rather hoarse and weak, but it was still more than enough to capture everyone's utmost attention.

"Nami, I know you're acting brave for Vivi, but if you keep pushing, your body won't have a chance to heal!" Sanji reasoned.

"I told you guys I'm fine," she reiterated as the energy she'd regained momentarily slipped away, "let it go."

She swayed and fell forward, keeping herself upright as she grasped the railing and began to pant. The sun was hot, but she knew that something was off with the wind. She could feel it in her bones. Danger was imminent.

"Woah, hey, take it easy," Usopp said quietly.

Nami bared her teeth in a feral snarl as her ire reared its ugly head.

"NOT ANOTHER WORD, DAMMIT! HURRY AND MOVE THE SHIP!"

All at once, everyone began to sprint for their positions. Even with a potentially fatal fever, Nami still retained an air of command that no one else dared question. Zoro smirked as he gripped the rigging and pulled it taught.

'She's one hell of a woman,' he thought to himself.

The ship lurched as everyone played their part. Within moments, it was back on course, heading straight for Alabasta. The navigator watched the eternal pose, breathing a sigh of relief as the needle swiveled, pointing straight ahead.

The sound of a door opening caught everyone's attention, and Vivi suddenly stood at the railing.

"I have to ask you all a favor. As a passenger on your ship, it's not my place to ask this, but I have no choice… my homeland is in jeopardy of being destroyed, so I would really appreciate it if we could move even faster. Every minute I'm out here puts more of my people in danger of losing their lives! We need to head for Alabasta at full speed," she announced.

The deck grew quiet as everyone stared at the princess. The atmosphere turned tense, and possibly even a little hostile. Vivi gulped, knowing exactly what she was asking of the crew. Nami was the one who answered.

"Of course we will, just like we promised," the redhead smiled weakly.

No one else spoke. All eyes remained on Vivi. Zoro stared at the princess, careful to let no emotion show. He understood that she had an obligation to her people… but to completely ignore a possibly fatal illness seemed a bit heartless, considering all that Nami had done for her.

"Then it's settled," Vivi murmured, "let's find an island with a doctor on it right away."

Nami's heart sank as the tension melted away like ice. Why was everyone being so stubborn? Couldn't they see what was at stake?! Everyone went around, agreeing with Vivi. Only Usopp bothered to question if getting a doctor was wise, but no one else seemed to care.

"Thank you, Vivi," Nami uttered finally, leaning heavily upon the railing as she fought back her emotions.

"Don't overexert yourself, Nami," the princess insisted.

The navigator smiled. The world began to spin as breathing became more difficult for her.

"I… I'm sorry," she mumbled, "I may need to lie… down…"

The ill woman's legs gave way as her strength left her, and Nami lost consciousness once more.

* * *

 _ **Author's Notes:**_

 _ **Another chapter, another episode paraphrased.**_

 _ **OOF.**_

 _ **In any case, I had a little fun with this one. Expanded on a few moments. Tweaked some things. Goodness knows there was enough dialogue to kill a man. But I digress, this did not turn out as planned. I was gonna have Zoro help out with taking care of Nami. Maybe it'll get incorporated in the next chapter or something. All I know is that it feels like my eyes should be bleeding from editing this bastard three times. Oh, and I'm learning the parts of a ship. I suppose you could say I'm pretty much a master seamen now. Heheh. Oh, and if you recognized the title of this chapter, then you are emo trash. It's cool, though, cause so am I.**_

 _ **One more OOF, cause I am ready for a nap.**_

 _ ***MUSIC***_

 _ **i never thought you'd be my enemy - vaboh**_

 _ **Oceans - Jacob Lee**_

 _ **Thanks for reading. I hope it was easier to read than it was to edit.**_

 _ ***EDIT***_

 _ **OOOOOF**_


	8. Wapol's Raiders and Zoro's Rage

After narrowly avoiding a cyclone, and effectively losing their navigator, it was hard for Zoro to believe that the luck of the Strawhat Pirates could get any worse. As it turns out, he was mistaken. It had begun to snow. And the cherry on the whole damned thing? Well, that came in the form of an attack from another band of pirates.

From Zoro's perspective, it seemed that the men had only rallied behind the enemy captain due to his devil fruit powers, as they all fell fairly easily beneath his swords when the fighting broke out. He tore his way through scores of men so quickly that they didn't even register his attacks right away. Entire groups of men were cut down in seconds, but they kept coming.

The battle ended when Luffy was nearly eaten by the other captain. His head had been entirely stuck in the man's mouth before Luffy had struck him with his Gum-Gum Bazooka, sending the man flying through the air before he vanished with a serene twinkle.

With their captain gone, the enemy pirates retreated, leaving dozens of dead and wounded men behind as they piled back into their ship and sailed after their captain.

Zoro's swords left red drips on the snow that had begun to build up on the deck. It was remarkable how much stronger he'd become in such a short time. His resolve was unbridled, and his will was unmatched… so why did he still feel so inferior compared to Hawkeye Mihawk?

He gnashed his teeth. Usually, whenever he got upset over his last fight with the world's greatest swordsman, he would think about Nami. Somehow, the thought of her smiling and happy always managed to perk him up.

But not this time.

In his effort to kill every last raider, he hadn't been able to stick to the doors that led below. If there were any stragglers that had slipped belowdeck during the fighting, they would be hard pressed not to find Nami's quarters… and Vivi had come up as well, leaving the sick navigator completely unprotected in her vulnerable state.

The swordsman's heart leapt into his throat as his eyes widened. Leaping over piles of bodies, he threw open the door that led into the bowels of the ship and made for Nami's room as quickly as he could.

"Hey, wait!" Usopp called after him. "Zoro, we need your help to clear the deck!"

"Where's he going?" Sanji wondered, taking another heavy drag from his cigarette as his brow furrowed suspiciously.

Vivi came to the same conclusion as Zoro and gasped, "What if raiders got into the hold?!"

"They'd find Nami in no time!" Luffy realized, gripping his head with both hands.

* * *

Zoro kept his swords out, taking care to check his corners. No one lunged at him from the shadows as he rounded the corner and arrived at Nami's trap door. He pulled it open and descended, scanning the room.

There was a large lump lying in the bed. Zoro couldn't see Nami's face, but he could hear her breathing beneath her blankets. It sounded like she was still sleeping.

Another sound caught Zoro's attention. It was a hurriedly stymied breath, like that of someone playing hide and seek. In the darkness of Nami's room, there weren't many good hiding places. In fact, the only place to hide would be under Nami's bed… or in it.

"I know you're there," Zoro said.

The lump in Nami's bed shifted. The navigator was red in the face and sweaty, but still unconscious. She groaned as a masked raider who'd been lying right next to her hoisted her up by the crook of her arm and put a knife to her throat.

"Drop the swords," he hissed, "or else the girl dies."

Zoro scowled. He was fast, but there was something about this raider that seemed different from the others, aside from the cloth mask covering his nose and mouth. For starters, he'd had the skills to slip past everyone unawares. And what was more, Zoro could see the glint of cruel intelligence in his eyes. It was a look he'd seen in the most depraved of people, who positively reveled in blood and death. If the swordsman didn't comply, he had no doubts the raider would slit Nami's throat.

With slow, careful movements, Zoro sheathed his swords, undid his sword belt, and placed them on the floor at his feet.

"Very good," the raider laughed, "you're smarter than you look."

"It's a shame the same can't be said for you," Zoro smirked at the man.

The raider froze, but behind his mask, his expression was inscrutable. "Underestimate me at your own peril."

"Your crew is dead," the bounty hunter pressed on, "those that are still alive fled after your captain was thrown overboard. You're alone, and my crewmates are still very much alive. Soon enough, it'll be four on one, and we have a skilled sniper on board."

"You're bluffing. My captain has partaken of the Munch-Munch devil fruit. He's probably eaten your crew and will be here soon enough to devour you as well."

The dagger in the raider's hand nicked Nami's neck as he readjusted his grip. Zoro took a step forward, but a hard look from the man in Nami's bed rooted him in place.

"My captain has devil fruit powers, too. He's a rubber man. And everything I've said so far is the truth."

The man swathed in dark clothes breathed slowly, no doubt thinking hard. After a moment, a cacophony of footsteps was heard, and the trap door to Nami's cabin was thrown open. Sanji, Luffy, and Usopp raced into the room, only to freeze when they saw the man holding Nami hostage.

"Idiot," Sanji snarled at the swordsman, "how did you let this happen?!"

"Shut your mouth," Zoro replied through gritted teeth.

The raider's cool and calculated demeanor was quickly replaced by annoyance. Regardless of whose captain had devil fruit powers, one thing was for sure: four against one was bad for business, even with a hostage.

"Drop your weapons," the raider commanded, "otherwise this one gets bled out."

Usopp was the only one actually holding a weapon. He dropped his slingshot and raised his hands in surrender. Everyone else followed suit, and the man laughed.

"Really? What, is this girl seriously that important to you?! She looks half dead already!"

"Nami's our navigator," Luffy growled, "take your hands off her, or else."

He shook his shoulder and his arm became rubbery and flexible. He was about to fling it at the man when Zoro held out his arm to stop him.

"If you attack, he'll kill Nami," he said.

"But-"

Luffy met Zoro's eye. There was an odd look within it, but it was easy to see that Zoro wouldn't budge.

"Hmm. Your navigator, huh?" The raider gently slid his knife downward, tracing her curvaceous figure with the tip of the blade. Zoro held in an indignant snarl as he watched the man's eyes rove Nami's body.

"Sick bastard," Sanji muttered to himself, just loud enough for the raider to hear.

"I can see the appeal… but is she really such precious cargo? In her condition, it might be better that I kill her anyway, if only to spare her suffering. On the other hand, she certainly is beautiful…"

The raider turned to look at the ill woman once more, paying no heed to his own indecency. As he gazed at her hungrily, Zoro dived forward. The raider made to drag the knife across Nami's throat, but Zoro caught his wrist and yanked it away from her.

"Gum-Gum Grab!" Luffy shouted.

Zoro shoved the raider back as Luffy grabbed Nami and pulled her out of harm's way. The raider growled and tossed the knife from one hand to the other before slashing Zoro across the chest. The swordsman grunted, but his pain was drowned out by a boiling fury. With no regards as to his own safety, he went for the raider's throat with his bare hands. The man's dark eyes bulged, and he dropped his knife. He clawed at Zoro's fingers, but it was no use. His hands were as powerful as vice grips, and as unrelenting as iron. Something about seeing the man covet Nami's body irked Zoro, and his eyes became bloodshot. He bared his teeth in a feral snarl, growling as he tightened his grip.

'This man… is a monster,' the raider thought, fear apparent in his eyes.

In the next moment, the masked man's neck cracked. His eyes rolled back into his head, and his limbs twitched and jerked. After a few heartbeats, he stiffened as rigor mortis set in. The man was dead.

"Zoro!"

Princess Vivi rushed in, having been standing just outside the room and peaking in through the trap door. The bounty hunter turned around, and everyone winced. The cut, while shallow, had bled profusely, staining Zoro's chest red as he staggered away from the corpse of the attacker. He fumbled, but Vivi quickly caught him and threw his arm around her shoulders.

"Come on," she said, lifting with all her might as Zoro slowly got back to his feet.

"Nami," he mumbled.

"She's fine," Vivi said impatiently, pulling Zoro away from where the navigator lay in the floor.

There was a small line of blood running from the pinprick the raider's knife had made on her throat, but otherwise, Nami looked unharmed. The swordsman stared at her, blood rushing in his ears as Vivi's words made no impact.

"Come on!" she said again. "We need to stitch this wound!"

"It's fine," Zoro grumbled, allowing himself to he dragged out of Nami's room. "It didn't even make it past the muscle. I'm fine."

"Stop saying you're fine," Vivi sighed heavily.

They made it to the sick bay, which was essentially a closet packed with a tiny cot and a few sparse medical supplies. The princess pushed Zoro onto the cot and quickly used a knife to cut off his shirt. She busied herself with something Zoro couldn't see before turning around and splashing something on his chest. The heavy scent of hard liquor filled his nostrils as the gaping wound on his chest began to sting and smart.

"GAH!" his voice caught in his throat as Vivi pressed an alcohol soaked rag against the wound, doing her best to wipe away the blood and get a better idea of the scope of the injury. Zoro snatched the liquor from her and began to chug it like water, only stopping when the bottle was completely drained.

"That was probably a good idea," the princess said, looking somewhat sorry for the swordsman. Something in her eyes gave him pause. Why did she look so apologetic?

"I'm not good at medicine," she said shakily, "but I'm a decent mender."

That's when Zoro noticed what Vivi was fiddling with. A long needle sparkled as she threaded it and prepared to suture Zoro's wound.

"Go for it," he grunted, letting his head fall back against the pillows as he grit his teeth. Vivi's hands were cold as she found the proper starting point, but to Zoro, it was quite soothing against his wound.

"Here I go." she pushed the needle through the skin, and slowly but surely began to close gash.

Zoro didn't flinch. The only sign of his distress was a sharp intake of breath when she pushed the needle through. Even that became less and less frequent as the liquor took hold of Zoro's senses. He lay there, glassy eyed and unfeeling as he stared upward. In his mind, he kept replaying the look in the raider's eyes as he choked the life out of him. He could swear that his fingers were still wrapped around the man's throat, and the sound of his neck breaking echoed in Zoro's ears.

'It's amazing,' Vivi thought to herself, 'it's like the knife hit the muscle and just stopped.'

As squeamish as the princess was, there was something oddly relaxing about Zoro's presence. Even as he stared at the ceiling and said nothing, his quiet fortitude was admirable.

"All done," Vivi smiled, putting a knot in the string to hold the stitches in place.

The bounty hunter made to sit up, but he coughed and spluttered before collapsing back onto the cot. He took a few breaths to steady himself, looking around with a confused expression.

"My swords," he muttered.

"Got'em right here for you," Sanji said, pushing his way into the room to set the swords next to Zoro.

"Thanks," the green haired man mumbled.

Sanji took a drag off his cigarette and flashed a grin, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. Zoro focused on the cook through the haze of alcohol.

"How's… Nami?"

"She's fine. Slept through the whole thing. We did have to change the sheets on her bed, seeing as you bled all over them, but Nami's ok."

Vivi looked between the two men. For a moment, it almost seemed as though they had found a common ground to stand on, but then the princess began to gag.

"Do you have to smoke in this tiny room?" she asked.

"Hmm? Oh, sorry," Sanji mumbled, waving away the smoke before taking off for another part of the ship.

"Are you finished, then?" Zoro wondered.

"Yeah. It's not the greatest, but it should stop the bleeding," Vivi muttered.

"In that case, I'm gonna go check on Nami."

"You're not going anywhere," she pushed Zoro back down. "Not until you've had something to eat and taken a rest!"

The brightness in the princess' eyes suggested that she was on the brink of tears. Zoro heaved a sighed and folded his hands over his chest.

"Fine," he conceded.

* * *

Two hours later, Zoro was back on his feet. He had bathed, eaten, and gotten a fresh change of clothes. The snow had stopped for the moment, but there was still a chill in the air that made his wound sting as he paced the main deck. He hadn't been down to check on Nami yet, but apparently she was sleeping again.

'This is bad,' he thought, 'if we can't find a doctor she might not make it.'

The sun setting over the sea was a marvelous sight to behold, and the light felt warm on Zoro's skin. Still, for all its splendor, it was lost on him as he lamented the navigator's situation. They were lost at sea, with no way to navigate, and an uncertain deadline that was fast approaching in regards to Nami's health. And then there was the kingdom of Alabasta to consider….

"Hey, what's going on? Why aren't you eating with us?"

It was Luffy. In one hand, he carried a platter of meat, and he used his other to continually cram more meat into his mouth. He watched Zoro carefully, not quite sure why the man was so upset.

"I'm not hungry."

Zoro leaned against the rails, staring out at the sea, which was painted with oranges, reds, and pinks. Luffy set the platter on the railing and mimicked Zoro's posture, but he kept his eyes on the swordsman.

"She'll be ok, Zoro."

The bounty hunter stared at Luffy, who smiled. While the rubber man wasn't particularly the brightest (in fact, he was sometimes downright oblivious) he occasionally showed incredible insight. When it came to his crew, Monkey D. Luffy almost seemed to possess a sixth sense.

"Heh. Yeah, you're right," Zoro smiled, turning back out to face the water.

"Oh, and I ate your dinner."

Before Zoro could object, or steal a piece of his meat, Luffy had rushed back into the mess hall, leaving Zoro standing alone on the deck. He gripped the hilt of the Wado Ichimonji, as he often did when he found his resolve tested, and with a determined frown, he turned his footsteps to the stairs that would lead him into the depths of the ship, to Nami's cabin.

* * *

Nami's nightmares were so vivid and detailed that she felt as though she had died and gone to hell. She heard the sounds of battle, she felt the sting of a blade on her neck, and she could smell the ruddy iron scent of blood.

Her fevered mind used these stimuli to create twisted visions. She saw flashes of war and violence tearing apart the kingdom of Alabasta. She watched in horror as Arlong slaughtered the people of Cocoyashi Village. She fell beneath the claws of Captain Kuro's subordinates as reality and fantasy collided in a hideous caricature of her time spent with the Strawhat Pirates.

"N-no…"

It was all she could do to stand amidst the chaos and lament it. There was nothing she could do. One instant, she was frozen in wax, and the next, a giant was raising a battle-axe, ready to shatter her into a million pieces.

A voice cut through the din, so clear and calm compared to her violent nightmares that it felt as though someone were speaking from right next to her.

"I figured I'd come and see you," the voice muttered, "but… well, maybe that was stupid. I mean, you're still sleeping…."

It was familiar, to be sure, but something sounded odd about the voice. Why couldn't she place it? Her mind took a few seconds to connect the dots. The nightmares became blurry and faded, replaced by a crystal clear image of a muscled man with green hair.

"Everyone else is at dinner, but I just… I guess I couldn't stand the idea of you staying here by yourself," Zoro muttered.

Nami shifted in her slumber, mumbling. Zoro sounded tired, and more than a little distressed… why was his voice shaking like that?

"It's stupid to worry about what might happen," he continued, "but I can't stop thinking that… that it might already be too late. I mean, we can't navigate without you, so we'll be dropping anchor tonight. And after today… I guess I just realized that your condition could go south at any minute… so I thought I'd take a moment to say… well, you've been a pain in my ass, but in all honesty, I wouldn't trade you for the world."

"I'll hold you to that," Nami uttered. Her eyes flicked open, and she turned, seeing Zoro kneeling at her bedside. He looked as though he'd seen a ghost, and his face was inordinately pale.

"You're awake," Zoro said, a smile creeping over his face.

"Were you just… saying goodbye?" Nami's words were slow and ragged, but she got them out.

"Wha- No! I was… it's been a long day," the swordsman murmured lamely.

Nami smiled. She propped herself up, and wrapped Zoro in one armed hug. He couldn't help but notice how tightly she clung to him. It was as though he were her anchor, and all that kept her from being swept out to sea.

"It's ok, Zoro," Nami mumbled, "it'll be alright. I promise"

He smelled so nice, and his shoulders were so broad. Nami couldn't help but feel safe in the swordsman's arms.

"Yeah," Zoro sighed, "it'll be fine."

It may have seemed desperate, but in that moment, the two of them made a pact. They wouldn't worry about what might happen should Nami not find a doctor. Everything would be fine.

The navigator made to pull away from Zoro when she felt a tug on the back of her head. Zoro gave a yelp of pain before noticing that their faces were an inch apart.

"Your earring," Nami breathed.

"It's stuck in your hair," he replied.

The bounty hunter tried to ignore the fact that they were close enough to kiss as he fought with the earring. Nami spent that time watching his facial expressions. With each passing moment, he grew more and more impatient, and it made her smile. With a triumphant, "Ha!" Zoro freed his earring from Nami's orange locks.

The ill woman dropped herself back onto her pillows, having wasted what precious little strength she'd managed to preserve. Zoro fiddled with his earring some more, not looking at her.

"Did the others tell you about the attack?" he asked suddenly.

"Yeah. Vivi filled me in earlier."

"And do you remember anything?"

Nami shook her head. "Uh-uh."

The swordsman smiled dryly. Perhaps it was for the best that she not be made aware of the gritty details.

"Well, in that case…" he stood to leave.

"Wait."

He paused, turning back to face Nami. She hid her face beneath the covers before asking, "Would you… would you hold my hand? Just until I fall asleep? I've been having these nightma- these dreams."

She heard the sound of a chair being dragged across the floor, and she poked her head from beneath the covers to find Zoro sitting at her bedside, holding out a hand.

"Yeah," he said, "no problem."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

 _ **Ah, that's better! A little more freedom, and a little less paraphrasing! Anyway, I just figured I'd throw in a little of that gritty realism that One Piece is famous for and kick it up a notch. As to why the raider hid in Nami's room... shut up and stop picking apart the plot, dammit! Oh, and thanks for reading!**_

 _ ***Music***_

 _ **I'm Not Coming Home- Brennan Savage**_

 _ **Hiccup- Verzache**_

 _ **Despicable- Grandson**_

 _ **Wither- Jake Hill**_

 _ **Battle Scars-Lupe Fiasco**_

 _ **Damn, this is some sad shit. Press F to pay respects to my boy Zoro.**_


	9. A Love Triangle in Alabasta?

Zoro sat at the campfire, surrounded by the normal quiet murmurs of the other Strawhat Pirates. It had felt like an eternity, but they had, at long last, made it to Alabasta. Nami, whom had been dreadfully ill, was now returned to her old self, thanks to Chopper's skill and medicinal expertise. Zoro found that he didn't really care for the heat, especially after adjusting to the cold of Drum Kingdom, but that was the least of his concerns now.

The Strawhat Pirates had taken on another temporary member shortly after coming to Alabasta. Fire-Fist Ace, otherwise known as Portgas D. Ace, had appeared in search of Luffy. As surprising as it was that Luffy had an older brother, what was even more surprising was how fundamentally different the brothers were.

And now, as everyone huddled around the fire for warmth, Zoro watched Ace with a bitterness even he didn't fully comprehend.

The devil fruit user was spinning tales of his more humorous exploits, and subsequently causing Nami and Vivi to burst out in fits of laughter.

The swordsman would never admit it, but a small part of him was jealous of Ace. He was strong, with remarkably handsome features, perfectly sculpted muscles from intense physical training, and he was even possessed of the same charisma as Luffy that drew others to him. And as if that weren't enough for one man, Ace also had devil fruit powers, which only made him all the more impressive and interesting. Compared to him, Zoro probably seemed rather bland. Perhaps even a bit boring. It was no wonder Nami leaned toward Ace with wide eyes as she listened raptly to his story….

Zoro turned to stare out into the dark desert landscape of Alabasta, the after image of the campfire burned into his retinas as he listened to Nami laugh again. It put a knot in his gut to think that she and Ace had grown so close in such a short amount of time.

"-and then, after they'd all surrendered, their captain jumped up with a knife and took a hostage!" Ace said, grinning ear to ear.

Nami and Vivi gasped, looking horrified.

"What'd you do, then?" Vivi whispered.

The devil fruit user bit back a laugh as he stammered, "Well… the captain- the hostage he took- it was actually a member of his own crew, a cabin boy that he'd never seen before in his life. Needless to say I threw the captain overboard, and after that, the rest of his crew was quite cooperative! Turns out they all hated their captain, and were glad to be rid of him!"

Everyone smiled, Nami shook with laughter as Vivi bit her lip.

"Did the captain survive?" the princess asked.

"I would hope so," Ace giggled, "we had just set sail, so we weren't even completely out of port! He could've just swam back to town!"

"Don't be such a killjoy," Nami elbowed the princess, causing her to wince.

Even when she was being raucous, Nami looked absolutely amazing. Her hair was even more impressive in the light of the fire, and the flames seemed to dance in her dark eyes.

"Hey, Zoro? You ok?" Luffy asked.

Zoro looked away from the navigator as all eyes turned to him.

"I'm a little tired," he said.

"That's an understatement," Usopp piped up, "this whole crossing the desert thing is getting old really fast! I miss not having sand in my pants all the time."

Everyone froze, turning to Vivi, who showed no emotion. He may not have meant to, but Usopp had just insulted Vivi's home country.

"It does take some getting used to," Vivi admitted, "but the oasis cities are cultural hubs that are pretty clean. Once we're there, you'll notice that the sand doesn't seem to get everywhere."

"I suppose that's something to look forward too," Usopp sighed.

Everyone smiled. Even when someone blatantly insulted Vivi's home country, she managed to maintain her composure and positive outlook. Even if she weren't a princess, such temperament was admirable. Zoro only wished he had her strength of character.

"Hey, Zoro," called an unfamiliar voice.

He looked up, only to find Ace was watching him. The Whitebeard Pirate had a strange look in his eye, caught halfway between mirth and understanding. It only served to make Zoro dislike the guy even more.

"Would you care to help me gather more wood for the fire?" Ace asked, gesturing at the dwindling pile, "we'll need some more to keep it going through the night."

Zoro nodded, grabbing a burning stick from the fire and holding it like a torch. Ace held out a hand, and fire burned in his palm, almost like that of a blowtorch, giving them both a steady, wind resistant light source.

The swordsman raised an eyebrow as Ace passed him, leading the way into the dark dunes surrounding their little campsite.

They walked in silence for a time, keeping a relatively straight path. Everyone now and again, they saw a piece of driftwood in the sand and went to retrieve it. They would then continue on their path, as walking in a straight line would help keep them from getting lost after they'd lost sight of the camp.

When Zoro returned with a sizeable log tucked under his elbow, Ace gave a low whistle.

"I suppose that should about do it," he grinned.

Zoro frowned, "Yeah, I guess so."

They turned around, heading back the way they came, but Zoro could practically sense Ace's mind at work as he tried for cast around for a conversation topic. It was something the swordsman was quite used to whenever he was around other people. His silence made them uncomfortable, so they always felt the need to fill that silence with small talk.

"So… you and Nami, huh?"

Zoro missed a step and very nearly face planted in the sand. He dropped his driftwood log and managed to catch himself before turning to stare at Ace, who smiled at him knowingly.

"How did you-"

"Oh, come on, man! I may be Luffy's big brother, but I'm not nearly as blind as he is. I've seen the way you look at Nami. I've seen the way you look at me, too. You've got a mean stink eye."

Zoro ground his teeth as he stooped to pick up the log he'd dropped. If he didn't pick his response carefully, things could get out of hand quickly. Ace didn't really seem like a gossip, but he had a story for every occasion, and it wouldn't take much to start the rumor mill turning.

"It's complicated," Zoro muttered, "and at any rate, I'm sorry if I caused you offense. It's not that I don't trust you, but Nami is…"

He paused. What was Nami to Zoro? What exactly did she mean to him? It was so hard to find a way to describe her when he had no idea how she felt about him. She wasn't exactly the easiest person to read.

"Well, you'll get no competition from me," Ace said, clapping Zoro on the shoulder and making him jump. "I'm a bit too tied up in my responsibilities to go chasing after women at the moment."

The swordsman felt as though a great darkness had been lifted from his mind and body, like venom from a wound. Suddenly, Ace seemed like a much more respectable guy.

Fire-Fist Ace grinned. He was not so unfamiliar with the situation. In fact, he'd encountered it with his crewmates every once in a while when they made port. A sailor would fall in love with the woman of his dreams, and then he'd have to make a hard choice. Either stay on that island, with that woman, for the rest of his days, or return to the sea. In the end, everyone on Ace's crew had stayed on, but they had always been changed men, staring out over the waters as if they could still see that island, and the women they had left behind.

The way Zoro looked reminded Ace of these men. It was as though he were staring at Nami from across a vast sea.

Ace pouted and scratched at the corner of his lip before throwing his arm over Zoro's shoulder, "If I could give you a little advice, though… there seems to be a bit of a timing issue between the two of you."

Zoro looked uneasy at the prospect of being so buddy-buddy with Ace, but he let it slide. He often found that his own ideals regarding personal space were not shared by everyone. Besides, any advice from a guy like Ace was probably worth its weight in gold.

"A... timing issue?" Zoro asked.

"Yeah. I mean, she looks at you, then she turns away, but then you look at her… it just seems like you guys keep missing each other. Trust me, man. Keep a sharp eye on her, you'll notice how her eyes are drawn to you, I'm sure of it."

Zoro felt as though his heart had been filled with helium. A smile crossed his face as he considered Ace's words… Nami had been watching him?! For a moment, Zoro felt as though he might be lifted off the ground as he and Ace continued their march back to camp.

"Thanks," Zoro said finally.

"Not a problem. A friend of Luffy's is a friend of mine. He may be a bit… oblivious, but my kid brother knows a good person from a bad one. He has ever since he was little."

Zoro threw his arm around Ace's shoulders, the driftwood log still safely cradled in the crook of his other arm. As they went, Ace clenched his fist and extinguished the flames burning in his palm. Dead ahead, just over a large dune, the flickering light of a fire could be seen.

"Almost back to camp," Ace said.

"Just over this dune," Zoro sighed.

Together, they took the first step onto their last obstacle before returning to camp. Or so they thought.

The dune began to shudder and shake. Sand began to shift and slide downhill. Zoro dragged Ace back as a terrifying form was revealed beneath the sand.

Eight limbs. A stinger. Two pincers, and foaming mandibles that could grind a man to mincemeat in a matter of moments. It was a massive black scorpion, with a gleaming carapace that was likely as hard as iron. The scorpion hissed and clicked its pincers as it pulled itself from the dune and began to advance on Zoro and Ace, who were still retreating so as to not get buried by the sand.

"It's huge," Zoro noted.

"Yeah, that's good sized," Ace said, pulling down the brim of his hat as he grinned.

The scorpion took a few careful steps forward. The way it moved made Zoro's skin crawl, but he paid it no mind as he grasped the handle of the Wado Ichimanji and pulled it free of its clasp. Without even thinking about it, a battle plan was formed between Ace and Zoro. They shared a sideways glance and an imperceptible nod before leaping into action. If they let it get bored, there was a chance the thing might turn around and head for the camp and the other Strawhat Pirates, so it was up to them to keep it occupied and finish it quickly. Zoro took a step back as Ace charged the scorpion. It sought to catch him in its pincers, but he transformed into a plume of flame before rematerializing just out of harm's way, but well within sight of the scorpion.

Zoro ducked low and flanked the creature as Ace kept it distracted. With light steps the bounty hunter kicked off from the sand, leaping onto what he could only surmise to be the giant scorpion's knee. From there, he alighted upon the creature's back. With a quick glance, he ascertained that Ace was still alive, but between the pincers, mandibles, and stinger, the Whitebeard Pirate was having a tough time of keeping it occupied, as the scorpion quickly realized it had no chance of striking the devil fruit user.

The Wado Ichimanji gleamed in the moonlight as Zoro raised it, and then brought it down in a violent slash. The scorpion's tail was severed at the base, and collapsed into the sand as the creature screamed and scuttled about frantically.

Ace noticed its erratic movements and lunged forward before the monster could throw off Zoro. With a triumphant cry, he thrust his arm into the scorpion's mandibles, effectively roasting it from the inside as his limb became an inferno. Zoro grinned at Ace, but a movement in his peripheral vision caught his eye. As the creature slowly burned, it prepared to catch Ace unawares with its pincers.

"Look out!"

Ace turned, but it was no use. The pincers were only seconds away from slicing him in two. Zoro raised the Wado Ichimanji, and brought the blade down right behind the scorpion's eyes, where he surmised its brain would be. The creature froze, twitching, and its massive pincers fell into the sand with such a heavy thud that it made the face of the dune shift once again. The monster's legs buckled, and it toppled onto its side, throwing Zoro free as Ace was pushed back by the shifting sands.

When Zoro awoke, everything was dark. He heard no sound, and his body was wrapped in a cool, dry material. After spending all day in to sun, it was a pleasant change of pace. Then he remembered his trip with Ace to gather firewood, and the gargantuan scorpion that had waylaid them.

He sat upright, retching as he tried to get the sand out of his mouth and throat. After the scorpion had died, he'd been tossed into the shifting dune and buried. It couldn't have been for long, though. He was still very much alive. The swordsman looked around. The moon hadn't moved at all, so he'd probably only been out for a few minutes. The scorpion was almost halfway buried, but Ace was nowhere to be found.

"Ace?" Zoro called. His throat was still dry and a few grains of sand coated his tongue, but the lack of response sent him into a panic. That last Zoro had seen of him, the Whitebeard Pirate was being overcome by the shifting sands.

Zoro stood, pulled the Wado Ichimanji from the sand next to him, and staggered to the front of the scorpion, where he dropped to his knees and started digging furiously.

"Dammit, Ace! Don't die on me!"

"Huh?"

Zoro heard a voice and turned around. Sitting up from his impromptu burial site, with sand still pouring from the brim of his hat, was Ace. The man spat out a globule of spit and dirt before rubbing his eyes with his knuckles.

"Yeah, what'd I miss? Five more minutes…" Ace laid back down in the sand, snoring.

"This is not the time to sleep!" Zoro shouted.

Eventually, Zoro managed to wake Ace from his nap. With each of them dragging the scorpion by a claw, they pulled it free of the dune, secured its tail to its carcass, and made for the campsite, talking quietly as they both reveled in their newfound friendship.

* * *

"I'm telling you guys, I heard something! It was in the same direction as Zoro and Ace went to gather firewood!" Usopp insisted.

"They'll be fine," Luffy picked his nose in a nonchalant manner.

Vivi, who despised this behavior, came up behind Luffy and flicked him in the ear before crossing her arms and gazing out into the darkness surrounding them.

"I'm worried about them," she confessed, "they've been gone for a while."

Nami sat by the fire, trying to ignore the worrisome feeling in her gut that told her something was wrong. Zoro was the strongest man she knew, and Ace… well, he was no slouch, either. But that still didn't explain why her cat burglar instincts were going haywire. The impending sense of doom made her twiddle her thumbs anxiously.

'Something's happened,' she thought to herself.

She had heard what Usopp was talking about as well, like distant shouting distorted by the wind. It sent a chill down her spine as she stared into the fire. Even as she tried not to think about it, her mind twisted itself into visions that played out behind her eyes. She saw Zoro and Ace, surrounded by Baroque Works agents, desert monsters, and all manner of enemies. She saw them fight, but no matter how many enemies they defeated, another stepped forward to take their place, until they both fell.

Nami took a deep breath and patted her cheeks to pull herself from the fantasy. She looked around, but no one aside from Vivi and Usopp seemed very worried.

"Uh, guys? What the hell is that?" Sanji pointed with his chin at the top of a dune, where an enormous shadow had risen. Even from so far away, it managed to blot out the stars in the night sky.

Nami froze, hoping against hope that she was just seeing things. That was when the shadow crested the dune, and began to works its way down towards the camp at a steady, unhurried pace.

Luffy, who was usually unable to focus on any one thing at a time, was on his feet, staring intently at the hulking figure. He and Sanji put themselves between the shadow and the campfire as Vivi, Chopper, and Usopp all retreated to a safe distance.

All three of them huddled around Nami, their teeth chattering as they watched the shadow. Nami scowled. With those three clutching onto her for dear life, there was no way for her to escape if a fight broke out. She would just end up dead with them!

An odd noise made Nami jump, and she held onto Usopp, Vivi, and Chopper as tightly as they held onto her. The low rumble that she had assumed to be the creature growling changed, replaced instead by two quiet voices, and the sound of something large and heavy being dragged through the sand. Nami lifted her head as one of those voices set her heart beating even faster that it had been before.

"Relax," Zoro said, "it's just us."

He and Ace stepped into the light of the fire, each of them grasping a claw of a giant scorpion. Three jaws hit the sand with a dull thud as Vivi, Usopp, and Chopper tried to process the size of the beast.

"Dammit, Zoro!" Nami shrieked, kicking her way through the sand as she yelled at the man, "why the hell did you have to scare us like that?!"

Zoro blinked, "Like what?"

Nami growled and bit back an insult, but it was no good. Zoro just watched her with those dark eyes of his, looking quite unperturbed. In an effort to draw a rise from the unshakable swordsman, Nami grabbed his ear and dragged it down to that he stood about level with her.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'LIKE WHAT?!' I'M TALKING ABOUT HOW YOU DIDN'T BOTHER TO CALL TO US WHEN YOU DRAGGED A GIANT SCORPION INTO CAMP! AND THAT WAS AFTER YOU'D BEEN GONE FOR WHO KNOWS HOW LONG! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED I WAS?!"

"Wait, you were worried about me?" Zoro asked, still cringing as Nami yelled at him and yanked on his ear. Her face turned a nasty shade of magenta as hot flashes coursed through her limbs.

"NO! I was- I mean we were all worried-"

"I wasn't," Luffy chimed in.

"Shut it!" Nami conked Luffy over the head without releasing her grip on Zoro.

She turned her attentions back to the man she had firmly in her grasp, seething as she decided how best to phrase her disdain for his inconsideration.

"Hey, go easy on him," Ace said, "he saved my life out there! That scorpion was about to rip me a new one when Zoro stepped in. You're lucky to have a guy like him around to lean on."

Nami blushed, her eyes locked onto Zoro's face as she contemplated Ace's words. "Hmph. I guess you're right."

She released Zoro, who rubbed his ear and locked eyes with Ace. The devil fruit user gave Zoro a wink and two thumbs up behind Nami's back before going over to take a seat by the campfire.

"Wow! Did you really save Ace from that scorpion?!" Luffy asked, pushing himself between Nami and Zoro.

"Well, not really-"

"He's being modest," Ace called, "that guy is a world class swordsman, Luffy. You'd best keep that in mind, or else I might decide to try and recruit him for the Whitebeard Pirates!"

"No way!" Luffy shouted, dashing off to pick a fight with his brother over Zoro's allegiance.

Nami crossed her arms, trying to look angry, but something about her expression wasn't quite right. Every time she pursed her lips and frowned at Zoro, she couldn't help but feel glad for his safe return.

"Can I sit down, or do you have another lecture for me?" Zoro asked, still massaging his ear.

She scowled before heaving a sigh and holding her forehead.

"I'm just glad you got back ok."

"Yeah, me too," he replied quietly.

Zoro studied Nami uneasily. It was weird to think that a random encounter with that giant scorpion could've possibly cost him life, and in addition, his time with Nami. His brow furrowed as he realized just how fleeting life was, and for a moment, he was tempted to grab Nami by the hand and lead her away from the camp fire so that he could tell her how he felt.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Nami snipped.

Zoro grinned to himself. Now wasn't the time to be acting like a lovesick fool.

"No reason," he said, sweeping past the red haired woman to join the others at the campfire.

The navigator looked after him, stunned by how easily he shrugged off her rage. And what was that little smile of his about? Did he think he was being cute or something? Because he definitely wasn't!

Nami cleared her throat and readjusted her robe, suddenly very conscious of her appearance. She stomped back towards the camp fire, her nose in the air and a pout on her face as she decided to go without speaking to Zoro for the rest of the evening. In her heart, though, she knew it wouldn't last. Sooner or later, he'd draw a rise out of her, and get her to laugh as some stupid joke, or muse over a complicated riddle, as he always did. Somehow, that dashing swordsman always managed to make her feel better. As she sat back down with her friends, she chanced a glance at him, only to find that he was watching her as well.

Zoro grinned as she fumed and looked away pointedly with loud "HMPH!"

'I guess Ace was right,' he thought, taking the water skin that the Whitebeard Pirate handed him.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

 _ **Well, I guess the truth is out. I'm not one of those writers that can crank out a chapter a day. At least, not on my work schedule. Anyway, this chapter was a bit slow in the telling. I've been watching One Piece, and there sadly just isn't much material out there for Zoro and Nami in the Alabasta Arc. I finally decided to post it when I realized that Ace would be an excellent contender in a love triangle situation. He's a lot like Zoro, but a bit more cool and aloof. Also, he can turn into fire. Badass. Regardless, it's a slow chapter, and there itsn't as much lovey dovey stuff as I'd like.**_

 _ **MUSIC:**_

 _ **The Unforgiven III- Metallica (easy One Piece association)**_

 _ **SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK- Joji (papa franku is back at it again)**_

 _ **french- verzache**_

 _ **She's A Rebel- Green Day**_

 _ **Nearly Witches- Panic! At The Disco**_

 _ **Expect more! Just... not right away. Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed the story so far!**_


	10. Mr One and Miss Doublefinger Defeated!

As Zoro lay bleeding in the streets of Alubarna, slowly succumbing to the wounds he'd received during his battle with Mr. 1, he found that death was not so bad.

The world around him was dark, and somehow, he could still sense the rhythm that all things had. Even as his life slipped away, he felt that the beauty of the rhythm was astonishing. The ground beneath him had a slow, steady hum. The wind whirling down the street was alive and merry, and it brought a smile to Zoro's lips.

No, death was not bad at all, but he could not rest quite yet. He was nowhere close to fulfilling his dream of being the world's greatest swordsman. And then there was the matter of his crewmates to contend with. If he went and kicked the bucket now, Sanji would get it in his head that he was superior to Zoro!

'Over my dead body,' the swordsman thought savagely, pushing himself up off the ground with shaky arms.

The world seemed to grow a little darker as his vision dimmed, but he managed to get himself into a sitting position and take a few deep breaths.

With his hands pressed into the soil, he could feel a commotion nearby. Or perhaps he heard it. Either way, describing the sensation that gripped him in his death throes would've been difficult, even if he wasn't woozy from blood loss.

The commotion died down fairly quickly, leaving everything around Zoro as silent as the grave. Then, from within the large, grandiose building on his right, another rhythm could be heard. Pained, uneven footsteps traced their way through the otherwise empty building, heading straight for Zoro. Even if he wanted to duck into an alley and slip past them, he doubted he could lift himself from the street before they spotted him. But he had no intentions of moving, as the rhythm of this person seemed… familiar. It reminded him of sunshine, cool, salty sea breezes, and an unmistakably overpowering frankincense perfume.

Zoro's base senses took over as he stared at the dark doorway leading into the building. If his newfound sixth sense was accurate, he would be able to hear them coming…

Click, scrape, click, scrape…

Sure enough, the familiar tap of high heels on stone was heard, accompanied by panting.

Nami appeared within the sandstone doorway, leaning heavily upon a blue metal bo staff. In her ruined dancer's costume she looked a little worse for wear, but very much alive.

Zoro stared at her, mouth agape. The navigator was covered in bruises and scrapes, as if she'd been fighting. With every other step, her foot seemed to bleed more profusely. Her hair was disheveled, though still miraculously held in a bun, and her skin was covered in a sheen of sweat. None of this was reflected in her eyes, which shone with a triumphant light, like someone who'd just passed an important test.

And to the swordsman, who could still sense the rhythm all things had, Nami looked nothing short of perfect. Whereas the entire world looked dark and discolored, her pale skin shone like moonlight. It almost looked as though she were glowing, and when Zoro listened carefully, he could hear Nami's rhythm as well. There was an almost hypnotic quality to it. The hammering of her heart set the beat as the bounty hunter listened raptly. Some things, like the ground, or the broken bits of stone scattered around the battlefield, emitted a low, steady hum.

Nami's rhythm, however, was far more complex, like a symphony composed entirely of who she was as a person. For an instant, Zoro could almost picture Nami dancing to her own rhythm, swaying her hips and throwing her hands over her head with reckless abandon.

"Hey, Zoro! Come on, focus!" Nami clicked her fingers in front of his face, pulling him from his vision.

"N-Nami," he murmured bashfully, "you're absolutely beautiful!"

She turned red for a moment before she casually swept the hair out of her face.

"Tell me something I don't know!"

Zoro's face was suddenly in hers, and she fell backward, onto her butt. Zoro's pupils were so dilated that she couldn't even see his irises.

"You're glowing," he told her.

Zoro reached out with a calloused finger, gently stoking the pale skin of her cheek. The surprised look on her face slowly faded as a strange feeling settled in her abdomen. As their faces inched closer, Nami wet her lips, her jaw quivering. Zoro stared into her eyes, her breath hot on his face. Suddenly, she put a hand to his chest, stopping them just short of a kiss.

"Son of a… Zoro, you're bleeding!"

He followed the redhead's gaze downward, taking note of his mangled chest, and the red stain spreading across his shirt.

"Well… so are you."

Nami rolled her eyes and tucked her hair behind her ear, as she oft did when she was flustered.

"I'm not the one who's spouting nonsense about how pretty I am," she rallied.

Zoro pursed his lips, "It's not nonsense."

"Whatever you say… maybe there's some supplies in these buildings… I get the feeling we'll be fighting for a while…"

Nami turned her attention to the sounds of battle all around them. Zoro could hear it as well, though it sounded faint and far away. He could feel it clearly, though. Through the earth beneath him, he could feel blood splattering on the pavement. He could sense thousands of feet as they ran through the streets. He could feel the bodies as they fell to the ground, writhing in agony.

"I've gotta… keep going."

Zoro used his sword to push himself to his feet, but Nami quickly accosted him.

"Zoro, don't move!"

Too late, the muscles in his chest released their tension, and blood sprayed from his wounds. His eyes went white as they rolled back into his head, the world seemed to spin underneath him, and Zoro's last moments of consciousness were riddled with Nami's terrified screams, which lent themselves to twisted visions that played out behind his eyes.

* * *

He jerked awake minutes later, only to groan and grit his teeth. His wounds were on fire, and the world had returned to its normal state. It was bright and sunny. The sounds of battle were loud against his sore eardrums. A shadow moved, obscuring the blinding light of the sun, and Nami appeared over him. She was red in the face, with large tears in her eyes.

"Dammit all, Zoro! Don't go scaring me like that!"

He chuckled dryly, but the pain in his chest exploded. He coughed and choked, tasting the metallic tang of blood. With a grunt, he turned his head and spat it out.

"Give me a break," he sighed, "I just beat Baroque Works' most powerful agent."

"Yeah? Well, I beat his partner," Nami countered.

"You beat Ms. Doublefinger?"

"Uh-huh."

She smiled brightly, and the warmth of her smile seemed to spread through Zoro's limbs, filling him with renewed vigor. He slowly pushed himself into a sitting position, keeping his abs tight as he looked down at his chest.

The blood had stopped pouring from his wounds, but there were no bandages… how was that possible? Judging from the position of the sun, he hadn't been out for very long.

"I managed to use the Clima-Tact," Nami muttered quietly, "I heated the blade of your sword and used it to cauterize the wounds. It was the best I could do to stop the bleeding without risking infection. I was about to bandage you up when you came back to me."

The bounty hunter gently poked at the wounds on his chest. They still hurt, but so long as he was no longer losing blood, he would still be able to fight.

The sound of footsteps echoed from an alley just down the street. Before Nami and Zoro could hide, four men in mismatched armor appeared. Each of them held weapons, and they almost looked like rebels whom had gotten turned around during the fighting.

Almost.

From their wicked smirks and cocky attitude, Zoro knew straight away that they were no ordinary rebels. Without thinking, he stood up, pushing Nami behind him. His legs shook and his sight went black for a moment, but he kept the 'rebels' firmly in his line of sight.

"Zoro, what are you doing? Those are rebels! You can't fight them!"

"Look at their arms, Nami. Those aren't rebels… they're billions."

One man pushed himself to the forefront of the group. He was scrawny, with a rat-like face and dark, intelligent eyes. He held a blunderbuss rather carelessly, and took no care as to where he pointed it. His three lackeys were all much larger, though they varied from being brawny as a bodybuilder to as pudgy as a sumo wrestler. Every one of them had a Baroque Works tattoo on their arms, and all were armed to the teeth, though the large ones only carried melee weapons.

"Well, well, well, what have we here? A couple sneaky bastards, eh? And look, they match the descriptions of those high priority targets we were supposed to let the numbered agents take care of… doesn't look like they fared very well, though."

The scrawny man peered over Zoro's shoulder without a hint of concern in his eyes as he looked upon Mr. One's body. Zoro shifted to the side, using his own body to make sure than Nami was well out of the line of fire of the man's blunderbuss.

"I suppose you did this to him, eh? Well, then, it seems I owe you a debt. Once I take you down, I'm sure to get promoted to a numbered agent."

The man grinned for a moment before his face fell. A light seemed to reflect in his eyes, and Zoro realized that the billion had taken full notice of Nami, who was still hiding behind him.

"Hey there, gorgeous. Say, after I whoop this guy's ass, how would you feel about spending some quality time with yours truly? I'm gonna be loaded after all this pans out… who knows, maybe I can convince the boss to let me keep you as a prize for a job well done."

The man wiggled his eyebrows at the navigator, who proceeded to stick out her tongue at him from over Zoro's shoulder.

"Bite the big one, asshat!"

"Ohoo, feisty! But I suppose I gotta put this one down before I can get my prize…."

The man's dark eyes returned to the swordsman in his way. He looked beat down and ragged, but there was no mistaking it: this man was definitely one of the Strawhat Pirates.

"If you think I'll let you put one greasy finger on Nami you've got another thing coming," Zoro stated flatly. The Wado Ichimanji glinted in the bright sunlight as Zoro felt a pressure on his shoulder.

"Make this quick," Nami panted in his ear, "I can't… stay standing much longer."

Sweat beaded Zoro's brow. His palms were already raw from swinging his swords during his battle with Mr. One. His shoulders were achy and overworked. The burns on his chest throbbed painfully, as did the blood in his head as his heart beat harder. His pain and suffering were on the edge of overwhelming him… yet all he could do was frown in disgust.

'All that training, and I'm still not as strong as I need to be,' he realized angrily.

"You have one chance to leave, otherwise, I'll do to you what I did to the most powerful Baroque Works field agent…"

Zoro reached up and put his bandana back on. The sweat hadn't even had the chance to dry from his last battle. He glared at the men in front of him, mustering every ounce of malice in his heart to try and frighten them off.

It seemed to be working. The wiry, devious man in the lead ground his teeth, and his three enormous cronies shifted, looking unnerved. A few more moments, and they just might run away without a fight…

"Perhaps you bested Mr. One in melee combat," the smaller man reasoned, "but in terms of speed, you aren't nearly as quick as my blunderbuss!"

He levelled the weapon with a malicious grin. Nami peaked out from over Zoro's shoulder, her eyes wide with shock. The three lackeys rallied, shouting war cries and jeers. The swordsman did not move. If he closed with the billion, he would end up leaving Nami vulnerable.

"A sitting duck, eh? Just how I like 'em!"

The agent's finger squeezed the trigger of the blunderbuss. The sound of a small cannon going off was heard, and a cloud of iron scattershot flew at Zoro faster than the eye could see.

Faster than the _average_ eye could see, anyway.

As the bounty hunter stared death in the face, all colors of the world seemed to fall away. Light turned into darkness and vice versa as everything became negative. The individual lead balls of the scattershot inched forward at a snail's pace. Zoro raised the Wado Ichimanji, and brought it down in a diagonal slash.

The dirt around his feet became torn up, and was pegged with deep holes. Windows shattered and broke behind him as lead embedded itself in sandstone buildings, but the swordsman himself was completely unscathed, save the injuries from his previous battle.

"What the-" the Baroque Works agent stammered.

"That's the issue with firearms, especially large ones," Zoro said, "after you fire them once, they're little more than overpriced clubs. My swords, however… they're deadly no matter what."

The leader raised a hand, jabbing his finger at Zoro as he screeched, "Kill that one, and bring me the girl alive!"

Three giant men barreled forward, brandishing their weapons. The first to reach Zoro was a man with a square jaw, a bad comb over, fetid breath, and a massive two handed sword. He made to cleave Zoro in half from top to bottom, but the swordsman effortlessly parried the blow, sending sparks flying as steel scraped against steel. Nami shrieked as the huge blade sunk into the earth not six inches from her injured foot.

With the man's guard wide open, Zoro slashed him across the chest, cutting clear through his armor and several layers of fatty tissue. The man hit the ground with an earth rumbling crash.

"Hold this," Zoro said, handing Kitetsu III to Nami, still sheathed.

"What am I supposed to do with-"

"Use it as a cane, dumbass," he growled.

And with that, Zoro stepped over the body, meeting the next attacker after three steady, even paces.

"GRAAAAAH!"

This man was entirely brawn. His muscles were so enormous it was a wonder he could lift his war club over his head. The weapon looked to be twice the size of Zoro, and was made entirely of heavy black iron. The man had small piggy eyes, several missing teeth, and a strangely well kempt mustache that had probably taken years to perfect.

The war club looked to be going agonizingly slow as it neared Zoro. A part of him was tempted to stand there and be hit by it, just to see if it would actually hurt. In the end he sighed, ducked around the blow, and wound up behind the man. With a great two handed swing, Zoro managed to slash through the man's muscular back and into his spine. He fell to the ground, spasming and paralyzed as Zoro closed with the third and final brute.

This one was so terrified of the suddenly disastrous mortality rates of his comrades that he dropped his flail and wet himself. Zoro approached him casually. His face was the epitome of calm, but something of his cold, murderous intent shone through his steely gaze. The Baroque Works agent sank to his knees before the swordsman, who did not break his stride.

Steel flashed in the sunlight. The large man cringed as his ears rung with the unpleasant sound of metal on metal. He opened his eyes and looked down, only to find that he was unharmed, and the bounty hunter had passed him by.

"Heh," the man grinned.

With unassuming speed, the large man got to his feet and swung the handle of his flail, bringing it down upon Zoro.

"Huh?"

The head of his flail was gone. The chain attaching it to the handle had been severed clean off by the swordsman when he'd passed by.

"You should've stayed down," Zoro muttered.

He turned, and plunged his blade up to the hilt in the man's sumo wrestler belly, which was so large that the tip of his blade barely came out the other side. In that terrifying instant, when the Baroque Works agent had been run through, he stared into Zoro's eyes, seeing nothing within them. There was a cold emptiness, and buried far, far beneath this was a rage so powerful and terrifying that it was hard to meet his gaze… but blood and death seemed to hold no sway over him. How could he kill and feel absolutely nothing?

With slow, deliberate movements, he pulled the sword free of the man's belly, before finally turning his attention to the man with the blunderbuss.

"Y-you killed them!" he cried. "You monster!"

Blood dripped from the tip of his blade as Zoro made for the last Baroque Works agent left standing. The agent backed away so quickly that he dropped his gun, but froze when his back hit the wall of a building.

"You've not the first person to call me that," Zoro reasoned, "and you sure as hell won't be the last."

Zoro drew back his arm, ready to drive his sword through the man's throat, but stopped when something was amiss… why was he smirking like that? From behind his back, the agent drew a shortsword, which had been cleverly concealed under his armor. He slashed at Zoro with a madman's glee, sure that he had gotten the drop on the swordsman. The attack caught him off guard, but Zoro had heard it coming from a mile off. He had heard the man's muscles creak and groan as he'd attacked. He had heard the irritating scrap of a blade against a scabbard, and he had heard the air being cut by the crude steel of the weapon.

He blocked the blow, and the vibrations of the attack seemed to work their way up his arms and into his skull. Zoro could feel the impurities in the metal, and he applied a little extra force, pushing the man against the wall, and forcing him to use both his hands to avoid getting cut.

Dragging his blade along his opponent's, Zoro struck the shortsword on the flat of the blade with the Wado Ichimanji's guard. The metal gave way, and the blade of the agent's sword spun away, leaving him with a hilt, an inch of jagged steel, and a look of shock so priceless that Zoro might've smiled, had he not been so furious.

"You… you… YOU BASTAAAAA- GRAAAAAAGGGHH"

The Baroque Work agent's strangled cry was interrupted as steel rent his throat. The man stared at Zoro, spite in his eyes as blood ran from his wound. He pulled at the blade with shaky hands, desperate to pull it out of his neck, but he only ended up slicing his hands, and smearing blood along the blade.

Nami closed her eyes as her stomach turned. Blood wasn't a new sight for her, but watching Zoro stare intently at the dying man put her on the edge of being sick. How could he watch a man die, slowly and painfully, with absolutely no regard for the sanctity of life?

"You alright, Nami?"

She jumped, her face pale as she looked into Zoro's eyes. They were slowly refocusing, almost as though he were coming out of a trance. In an instant, he looked just like the Zoro she knew, but sad and tired, and covered with battle scars and bruises.

"Are you kidding? I'm fine!"

She crossed her arms as best she could, but still leaned heavily on her uninjured leg. Zoro raised an eyebrow, and pulled the sword she had been using as a cane out from under her. Nami let out a wail as she fell to the ground.

"Asshole! You can treat your own wounds from now on!"

"Shut up and gimme that foot. We have to stop the bleeding."

"Oh, I get it… you have a foot fetish, don't you? Pervert."

Nami's smile was ruined by her ivory skin. Even as Zoro watched, she lost focus in their conversation. If she kept losing blood, she'd lose consciousness.

"Shut the hell up, this is serious…" Without warning, Zoro sliced a strip of fabric from his already tattered shirt and wrapped it around Nami's injury. After tying it tightly, and making sure it wouldn't fall off, Zoro stood and wiped his brow. He was no doctor, but it would have to do.

"Done already? Alright, let's get this show on the road!"

Nami stood, swaying and giggling. Obviously, delirium was setting in rather quickly.

"You need some water," Zoro decided. "And maybe something to eat."

"You need to stop being such a prick," Nami grinned. "What do you think about that?"

Zoro sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. He counted to ten in his mind as Nami continued to insult him, calling him all sort of names that wouldn't fly if uttered by anyone else. Once she was finished, she stared at him, waiting for some kind of response. Instead, Zoro scooped down low and lifted Nami by her waist. He slung her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and began walking down the street.

"Wha! Put me down! Idiot! Moron! Let me go at once! I am Nami, a friend of the Princess of this great country, and I demand respect, dammit!"

Zoro frowned as Nami kicked and flailed. She pounded on Zoro's back, but it was little more than a refreshing massage of fighting so many battles. After she'd gotten some food and water, he decided that it might be better to let her ride piggy-back.

"Uh huh, sure thing, your highness."

* * *

 _ **Author's Notes:**_

 _ **Nope, this fic still isn't dead... but was it ever really alive in the first place? Anyway, I suppose I should apologize for the wait, (even though I'm not remotely sorry, I've been busy) but yeah... sorry, I guess.**_

 _ **Going right to the quick breakdown of the story... I got nothing. I wrote this a while back and didn't have the time to even edit it, so I just polished it over the last week and threw it up for all to see. Make of it what you will, I suppose. Got a little gory there, towards the end, but a little blood never hurts. Not usually, anyway. And was there supposed to be a romantic plot in here somewhere? Whoops, I think I forgot to put it in...**_

 _ ***Music***_

 _ **Dearly Departed-Unlike Pluto**_

 _ **Losing My Love-verzache**_

 _ **Best I Ever Had-The Unlikely Candidates**_

 _ **Follow My Feet-The Unlikely Candidates**_

 _ **Arrested Youth-Mirrors**_

 _ **That's all for now. Thanks for reading!**_


	11. Bold Assumptions and Jealousy on the Sea

It was finally over.

Crocodile had been defeated. Alabasta was saved, and the rebellion had dissolved into a coalition of workers intent upon rebuilding the kingdom. Princess Vivi was hailed as a hero, and even though her mission to infiltrate and stop Baroque Works had been a carefully guarded secret, word had spread of her deeds, and her alleged involvement with a rowdy group of fearsome pirates.

Of course, Zoro was used to it. Thankless work was, more or less, his specialty; even within the Strawhats. To most, he was considered the second greatest threat amongst the crew, and that was primarily because his captain had devil fruit powers. Zoro was just an ordinary man, but he went up against all manner of opponents with no intention of losing. Whether it came to protecting Usopp, Nami, or anyone else, Roronoa Zoro was more often than not the first and only line of defense. But did they ever bother to thank him for his diligence? No!

Still, setting out to sea while being unable to acknowledge Vivi's heartfelt speech was just as hard for him as it was for the others. In their short time together, Zoro had grown fond of Vivi, and in his heart, she would always be an honorary Strawhat Pirate.

But for the time being, she had a duty to see her country restored to its former glory. Zoro could respect her initiative, even if it meant she would no longer be accompanying them.

With heavy hearts they set sail for their next adventure… but no one could've predicted that they would be leaving with a new crew member.

Nico Robin, the former subordinate and partner of Crocodile, had stowed away aboard the Going Merry. With nothing to live for, and no other alternatives, she joined the Strawhat Pirates. One by one, they fell victim to her charms until the only person unconvinced was Zoro himself.

It seemed an odd twist of fate to the swordsman. Everyone had wanted a new crew member. They had all been so hopeful that Vivi would consent to join them on their adventures… instead, they got Nico Robin, a reserved, mysterious woman who knew how to coerce her way into their ranks with minimal effort. Nami had been blinded by expensive jewelry. Usopp, Luffy, and Chopper were all naïve and immature. And Sanji… well, that moron was a lost cause the moment he'd seen the dark haired beauty's curvaceous figure.

Zoro alone remained unconvinced, and that was how the whole debacle started.

Perhaps it was an attempt to show that she was truly turning over a new leaf, but Nico Robin began to hang around Zoro more and more frequently. She took care to stay within his sights, and whenever Zoro wandered off, she followed after him. Whereas her smile was warm and genuine, it seemed to have no effect on the stalwart first mate of the Straw Hat Pirates. He kept any contact with Robin as brief and superficial as possible, and he refrained from accepting any offers of assistance or kindness.

But the time they spent together did not go unnoticed.

A certain red haired navigator watched the two of them closely. Nami knew it was hardly illogical for two people to spend so much time together on such a small ship, but in the case of Zoro and Robin, something didn't sit well with her. Was it the way they were always eyeing each other up? Or perhaps it was the way they seemed to go everywhere together. Seriously, Zoro couldn't even draw water without Nico Robin following after him like some sort of lost puppy!

And then there was the way they would just stand on the same deck as one another, and just… do nothing! It was so infuriating for Nami to walk onto the same deck as them and feel as though she were intruding on something intense and personal.

'Is he into older women?' Nami found herself wondering. 'Am I just boring old Nami now? I mean… after what happened in the palace….'

It was still a sensitive topic for her, and whenever she thought about it, she felt her stomach twist in shame, but there was nothing she could do. When the memory crossed her mind she found herself sucked into it, and forced to relive her embarrassment.

She had been bathing in the royal bath house, in the palace of Alubarna, washing Vivi's back, when all of a sudden things had gone quiet. When Nami looked up, several faces were leering at her from over the wall that separated the female and male washrooms. In the heat of the moment, with the rush of victory still fresh in her veins, Nami felt unstoppable, and after announcing an incurred debt of one hundred thousand beris a piece, she had flashed her crewmates, along with Cobra, the King of Alabasta, and his faithful retainer Igaram.

Only Zoro had refrained from being a peeping tom.

But the more she tried to convince herself that it was only to be expected of a guy like Zoro, the more she was assuaged by her doubt. Was Zoro uninterested in her? Why else would he refuse to peep like all the other perverts? Sure, he was a stubborn guy with unyielding morals, and a disturbing lack of interest in anything that didn't have to do with his training, but he was still a hot blooded male, right?

And now, with all the googly eyes he was making at that hussy, Nico Robin, Nami was positively sure that Zoro had only been toying with her until something better came along.

She thought about it for hours. The idea that he and Nico Robin were involved in some sort of scandalous affair kept Nami awake at night, tossing and turning as she beat her pillows into submission.

"That dirty… no good… long legged… floozy!"

With each insult, Nami drove her fist into her pillow. She wasn't very strong, but she punched with all her might, leaving her exhausted and tired, but no closer to falling asleep. She felt tears in her eyes as she envisioned the swordsman's cruel sneer.

'Hahaha! You're kidding, right?! How could I ever choose a _girl_ like you over a _woman_ like Robin? There's no comparison!'

The navigator bit her lip so hard that she tasted blood. The tears rolled freely down her face and stained her pillows as the imaginary laughter echoed in her mind. She rolled over, trying to focus on her breathing, and the sound of the gentle waves lapping against the hull of the Going Merry as she cried herself to sleep.

* * *

When she woke the next day, she could tell that it was around noon. She pushed herself out of bed, feeling tired and worn out after a long night of bad dreams. When she spotted herself in the mirror, her skin looked pale, and her makeup was smeared. Without even thinking about it, the navigator silently began to pick out her faults, wondering what it was that had caused Zoro to pursue someone else.

To summarize it in one word, the girl in the mirror was a wreck. Her hair was a mess, and she seemed about ready to cry again. Her eyes were red and puffy. Her pajamas were wrinkled, and she'd formed large, dark rings under her eyes from a lack of sleep.

"I… I guess I'm just not good enough," she muttered quietly.

A part of her wanted to dig through her closet in earnest. She wanted to find one of her favorite shirts, a matching pair of killer heels, and a cute skirt. She wanted to spend an hour and a half doing her makeup, and do her best to show Zoro exactly what he was missing. She wanted to walk past him, swinging her hips, and turn up her nose at his bewildered stare.

But that just seemed like too much work. With a sigh, she rubbed a hand over her face, and locked a blank expression onto it before putting on her slippers. Hanging her head, she trudged out of her quarters, heading up onto the main deck.

* * *

The sea was calm. The sky was cloudless, and the air was warm and balmy. In short, it hadn't mattered that Nami had slept in. Everything was fine. They didn't need her.

As she made her way towards the galley, she bumped into what appeared to be a pile of lumber with two scrawny legs sticking out from underneath it.

"Hey, watch it!"

Usopp's eyes and long nose peered at Nami from over the pile of lumber, but he quickly froze when he saw her face. Her eyes looked watery, as though she was on the verge of tears, but at the same time, she looked distant. Her gaze seemed to just slide right over the tinkerer as she caught herself and brushed the sawdust from her pajamas.

"Sorry, Usopp," she mumbled.

He watched her go, noting just how listless she looked as she made her way up the stairs that led to the mess hall.

"Huh. I wonder what's up with Nami?"

* * *

The redhead flung open the door to the galley, only to freeze upon the threshold. Most of the crew had gathered for the midday meal. Her eyes were immediately drawn to a messy crop of mossy green hair and tanned skin.

Right next to Zoro, who looked quite irritated for some odd reason, was Robin. She was the first to notice Nami, and she tilted her head curiously.

"Are you alright, Nami? You look a little under the weather," Robin noted.

Zoro's eyes went wide as he stared at the woman in the doorway, only to have his partially chewed sandwich stick in his throat. He coughed and thumped his chest, his eyes watering as Nami ignored the question and focused on Sanji, who was leaning against the counter, taking a drag from a cigarette.

"Sanji, could you get me some coffee?" Nami yawned.

The cook grinned, "I just made a fresh pot. Did you want some dessert to go with it? Or maybe you'd rather just have lunch with everyone else?"

"No, I'm not really hungry, and I have some more work to do on my charts."

Sanji busied himself, pouring coffee into a mug and adding ample amounts of milk and sugar. Finally, he decorated it with a small shish kebab of delightful chocolates that would pair with it nicely, and presented it to Nami on his finest silver platter.

"Here you are, Nami, dear! I hope you enjoy it!"

"Thanks, Sanji, you're the best."

Nami took her coffee, flashing the cook a tired smile before trudging out of the kitchens once more and heading for the navigation room. As she left, she could've sworn that she felt Zoro's eyes on her back. Just as her eyes filled with warm, bitter tears, she slammed the door shut to the mess hall, barely managing to hide her sadness from the rest of the crew.

"Wonder what that was about," Luffy mumbled through a mouthful of mutton.

"She seemed quite upset," Robin observed, not looked the slightest bit concerned. She took another bite of the fruit tart Sanji had prepared just for her before turning the page of her book.

Zoro groaned, slowly chewing another bite of his lunch as he stared at the tablecloth. He didn't know what he'd done, but he was certain that it was his fault Nami was acting strangely. He'd seen it in her sad, angry stare in the instant before she had studiously ignored Robin's question. It had only been for a second, but she had watched him with such intensity that he could practically feel the anger and pain radiating through her gaze.

But how was he supposed to go and see her without Robin following him?

Even since she had joined the Strawhat Pirates, Nico Robin had sat in her chair (which she normally set up on the same deck as Zoro), reading her books and saying as little as possible. At first, Zoro had been quite pleased that she had stayed within melee range. It meant that she knew her life was on the line. If there was any funny business, or even the slightest hint of betrayal, Roronoa Zoro would have no problem killing Nico Robin to protect his friends.

On the other hand, she hadn't done anything remotely suspicious since they'd taken her in… maybe he could duck out for a little while to see what was going on with Nami? Luffy and the others could watch Robin for a few minutes.

"I'm gonna see if Usopp needs any help," Zoro announced, standing quickly and leaving before anyone had the chance to intercede.

After that, it was just a matter of sneaking up the stairs that led to the navigation room and captain's quarters, which were situated just below the poop deck. With one last peek to make sure no one had seen him, Zoro closed the door to the common hall, smiling as he turned around.

And then he was immediately punched square on the nose by a crying, angry Nami.

"What do you want?!" she exclaimed, shaking her fist as Zoro slid down the door, covering his bloody nose.

"What the hell was that for?!" he asked nasally.

"I… you… UGH!"

She stormed away, the bunny ears on her slippers flopping madly as she went. With an angry "HMPH!" she slammed the door to the navigation room, leaving Zoro to bleed in the dark hallway. He pinched his nose, fuming as he got to his feet. On one hand, he could forget Nami had punched him. He could just chalk things up to it being her time of the month, and forever wonder why the hell she had punched him… or he could dive right in and try to get down to the root of her problem.

'Here goes nothing,' Zoro thought.

After shaking himself, he made for the navigation room, only to find it locked.

"Hey, let me in!" the swordsman called, pounding on the door as he heard sniffling from within.

"G-go away," came Nami's strangled reply.

Zoro wet his lips and said, "If you don't open this door, I'll get Robin to open it for me!"

That did the trick. Nami threw open the door, tears streaming down her face and snot dribbling from her nose as she raised her voice. From the color of her ears, it was clear that Zoro had struck a nerve.

"Y-you bastard! W-why won't you j-just leave me a-alone?!"

"I came up here to see what your deal was, and you just about broke my nose!" Zoro retaliated.

"So go get R-ROBIN to fix it for you!" Nami hollered, "Have ROBIN wipe the b-blood off of your stupid face, and leave m-m-me alone!"

Nami felt her anger grow exponentially as she stared at Zoro. Aside from the obvious outrage from her sucker punch, he looked completely unfazed. It was like he didn't care about Nami at all. Was he still thinking about the former 'Miss All-Sunday'?

"What does Robin have to do with any of this? Did she do something to you?"

Nami couldn't meet his gaze. Every time she looked into Zoro's eyes, all she saw was her own red face reflected within them. She shuddered uncontrollably as rage worked through her body. She wanted to hit Zoro again, but she knew he wouldn't allow her to land another blow. Even so, the desire to scream and rage at him like a hurricane was so powerful that she felt the storm in her heart might rip her to shreds.

"Just… go away."

She made to close the door, only to find a heavy black boot in her way. Zoro slowly but carefully forced it back open, looking deadly serious.

"Tell me what Robin has done," he muttered, fearing the worst.

"I… she… you…"

Nami grit her teeth, pushing with all her might against Zoro, trying and failing to force him from the navigation room. She shoved a shoulder against his chest, but it did no good. He wrapped a muscular arm around her as she tried to kick him out, but it only served to make her cry even harder. It seemed cruel, in her eyes, that the only time Zoro bothered to show her he cared was when she had given up all hope.

She slid to the ground at Zoro's feet, sobbing hysterically. For a moment, she was tempted to look up, but was terrified of seeing the bounty hunter stare down at her with disdain. He stepped away for a moment, and she thought that he might be leaving. It made sense, didn't it? If he was with Robin, then he would no doubt leave now that Nami had become unraveled. Instead, she heard the door shut, and before she knew it, Zoro was on the floor with her. He pulled her closer, and she was quickly wrapped up in the warmest, most compassionate hug she'd had in years.

"No one can hear us," Zoro whispered, "now tell me… what did Robin do to you?"

"N-n-nothing…."

"You're sure? I… I thought that she'd done something… the way you reacted when she spoke to you, and the way you yelled her name made me think…"

Zoro wasn't quite sure what to believe. He had thought Nico Robin had done something, or threatened Nami somehow. Now the redhead was on the floor, bawling her eyes out… but why? If she wasn't in immediate danger, and if she wasn't being threatened by Robin, why on earth was Nami crying?

The swordsman frowned, gently rubbing Nami's back as she hiccupped and sniffled. She was slowly calming down, but something about seeing her so sad caused Zoro's heart to ache.

"I-I'm fine… really," she picked up her chin, smiling as brightly as she could, but it wasn't enough to convince him.

"Uh… are you sure? I mean, it almost looks like you might want to punch me again."

"Hey Zoro…" Nami's voice was little more than a whisper.

"Hm? What is it?"

Nami didn't meet his eye, but something about her demeanor changed. It almost looked as though she were steeling her resolve from something serious.

"Is there anything going on between you and Robin?"

"Well, now that you mention it…"

Zoro looked at the door. Nami realized he was listening, just in case anyone was eavesdropping. When he had determined the coast was clear, he leaned in and put his lips to Nami's ear. His words were so soft, Nami nearly missed them, given the hammering of her heart and the rush of blood in her ears.

"I don't trust her," he whispered. "I think she's up to something… I just don't know what."

"Wait... so the two of you aren't- MPH!"

Zoro clapped a hand to Nami's mouth, as she had suddenly started speaking loudly.

"Listen, Luffy may think she's alright, but I'm well aware of the kinds of people that joined Baroque Works," Zoro muttered under his breath. "I'm not saying I know anything for sure, but I've been keeping a close eye on her to be safe. I don't want you or anyone else to worry. One wrong move from her, and I'll be going back to bounty hunting temporarily."

Nami wasn't sure why it had taken her so long to figure it out, but suddenly it clicked into place. Zoro wasn't attracted to Nico Robin at all, he was making sure she wasn't up to any of her old tricks! The redhead latched onto Zoro's shirt, grinning like an idiot as she pulled him into a hug.

"WhoaaaaAAAH!"

Zoro fell over backward, thumping his head on the floor as Nami knocked him to the ground. She didn't seem to care. The tears on her face were a sharp contrast to the relief and happiness painted on her features.

"Hey Zoro?"

"Y-yeah?" His voice was weak, and he looked as though he were having a tough time focusing. Stars seemed to be dancing before his eyes.

"I was wondering… why didn't you peep on me when we were in the bath house in Alubarna?"

The swordsman turned as pale as a ghost.

"What the hell kind of question is that?!" Zoro scrambled to sit up, but Nami pinned him down, looking fiendishly sly. No matter how they looked at it, the swordsman was now caught in her web.

"You know what, you don't need to answer that," Nami said sweetly, "instead, maybe you deserve a reward. After all, you _were_ the only guy who didn't peep… so what'll it be, big guy? You wanna see 'em? Or maybe you're feeling a little daring, and you're looking to cop a feel?"

Nami stuck out her chest, an eyebrow raised as Zoro's face got redder and redder. He struggled to free himself from under Nami, but it was no good. The harder he fought, the more firmly she pressed herself against him. One of the buttons on her pajama shirt came undone, revealing an inordinate amount of cleavage. Steam blew from Zoro's ears, and his face turned the color of a beet.

"Whoopsie," Nami giggled seductively, "wardrobe malfunction…."

Zoro craned his neck, trying to look anywhere but down, where Nami's breasts were on track to burst another button and escape their bonds. His nosebleed came back full force as she pressed her chest against his, and without even throwing a single punch, Nami managed to defeat a man with a sixty million beri bounty.

She pressed an ear to his chest, listening carefully. The rapid beating of his heart was faint, but it was still there, so she hadn't accidentally killed him.

"Geez, you're such a gentleman," Nami smirked, lying across Zoro's chest. "Then again… I think that's why I like you."

She wasn't sure her words had reached him in his daze, so she simply laid there with him. Her eyelids drifted down, and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep, curled up in the crook of his arm.

* * *

 _ **Author's Notes:**_

 _ **Not gonna lie, this chapter was NOT supposed to be so dark and gloomy. In fact, most of it was supposed to be funny/romantic stuff, but I guess our scheduled program has been interrupted by real sad boi hours. Well, actually, it would be real sad grill hours, seeing as Nami was the one who was sad. Here's hoping the next chapter is easier to write and a heck of a lot less grim and edgy. Like, goddamn.**_

 _ **Oh, and sorry for how rarely I've been writing. Truth is, I've been so busy that finding the time and energy tp just sit and write is a chore.**_

 _ ***MUSIC***_

 _ **Jackie and Wilson- Hozier**_

 _ **Bells- The Unlikely Candidates**_

 _ **Weak- AJR**_

 _ **Cringe- Matt Maeson**_

 _ **fool- cavetown**_


	12. Even As It All Falls Apart

The last thing Zoro expected after being kidnapped by a giant lobster (which was, in itself, pretty unexpected) was to be freely roaming a swampy forest in search of god.

He also never thought he'd be having such a good time. He wandered through the woods with Robin and Nami, exploring wherever he dared. Sure, he'd had to punch a few skysharks in the process, but when he thought about it, he hadn't had that much fun since they'd come to Skypeia. He'd swung from vines, carved his way through great thickets of plant life, and kept his comrades out of danger.

In an urban environment Zoro would normally be considered an outcast, but out in the wild, where it was survival of the fittest, the warrior was well and truly in his element. His senses were on high alert, and he kept a sharp eye out for any enemies, but he found none.

According to the swordsman, today was a fine day. It was a day where he lived and survived by his skill as a warrior, clearing a way through the wild for his friends in search of their foe. The rush of freedom made his blood run hot. If he hadn't been trying to keep a low profile, he might've pounded his chest like a gorilla and howled a challenge to the world like Tarzan.

Even Nico Robin, the self-appointed archaeologist of the Strawhats, had been excited when they had stumbled across what looked to be the remains of an old well.

The only person who looked disappointed with their trek was Nami. From the moment she had swung on a vine from the crow's nest of the Going Merry and landed in Zoro's arms, she'd had a tough time staying on her feet. Not only that, but her carrying voice was the primary cause of the skyshark attacks. The way she shrieked whenever she tripped and fell put a twist in Zoro's gut, and sent the strange creatures into a frenzy.

And even though Roronoa Zoro's quest to find and whoop god's ass was technically a failure, he still managed to keep his spirits up.

Nami, on the other hand, looked more and more ready to give up with every fall she took. Apparently not even the idea of a gods' treasure was worth the trouble of searching for it.

When her life wasn't flashing before her eyes as she stared into the razor toothed maw of an attacking skyshark, she was quite preoccupied with shooting dirty looks at Zoro and Robin, neither of whom seemed very focused on looking for gold. In fact, she was so frustrated with their failed treasure hunt that she found the only way she could keep from screaming was to bite her own lip until her eyes watered. From the perspective of a thief and salvager, the forest of the Upper Yard had been picked clean of any of its valuables long ago. The only thing she'd acquired thus far were a myriad of bumps and bruises that only served to test her already limited patience.

Meanwhile, that asshat, Zoro, was having the time of his life pretending to be some kind of wilderness explorer. And Robin was too busy looking for worthless old junk to be of any use in their quest for gold.

Nami was about to point out that she was the only one actively searching for treasure when her shoe got caught. She tripped, falling towards the ground when something thick and hard wrapped her about the waist, knocking the wind from her lungs.

It was Zoro who had saved her, holding her over the ground as if they'd been dancing and he was dipping her.

"Oh, so now you wanna help out?" Nami blustered, "Or maybe you're just trying to cop a feel?!"

She stared daggers at Zoro, who raised an eyebrow, looking unabashed. His shrewd black eyes flickered between Nami's face and something over her shoulder.

She craned her neck to follow his gaze. Beneath her lay a bed of tall grass. It was the kind of grass that would leave cuts on exposed skin, but falling into it wouldn't necessarily hurt her. Then she saw the stone poking out through the blades of grass, only inches from the back of her head.

The swordsman helped Nami to her feet, giving her a wry smile. "Next time I suppose I'll just let you crack your head open."

"Sorry," Robin said, not looking even remotely apologetic, "I'd have caught you, but I was just observing what I believe to be old architectural foundations. Normal land is rarely so flat and well packed. It's a shame the building has long since collapsed."

Nami was about to say something when Robin turned away, forging a new path further into the forest.

"Come along, you two." She called.

Zoro gave Nami a pained look before following after Robin. Oddly enough, the navigator took the rear without complaint.

She was still extremely wary of Robin. Even though the archaeologist was polite enough, Nami couldn't help but feel something was off with her. Perhaps she'd never learned social skills, or maybe she just didn't care to, but to the navigator, it appeared as though Robin were only biding her time. After all, why would she not even bother to learn everyone's names?

Robin led the way into a very deep, dark part of the forest. The landscape dipped downward, and the temperature dropped as the sun quickly fell away. Zoro looked untroubled by the sudden change in atmosphere. It became foggy, but he was not deterred. The trees, which were already enormous, grew even thicker, with less room to walk between them. Something told Nami that they were very close to the center of the forest's origin.

"I can barely see through this fog," Zoro sighed, as if being unable to see was the least of his problems.

With a start Nami realized something. Her head turned side to side, her eyes flickering every which way as shadows danced in her peripheral vision.

"Uhhh, Zoro? W-Where did Robin go?"

"No idea."

"Great," Nami rolled her eyes, "so glad I asked you. I feel loads better."

"Don't worry, I'm sure she's around here somewhere."

Zoro looked around before taking off as well. Nami gave a little yelp.

"Wait for me!"

She took hold of the back of Zoro's shirt when she caught up to him. She knew that following his sense of direction would only get them lost, but at the rate her day was going, Nami would rather be lost in a forest with Zoro than on a marked path without him.

"Hold up," Zoro muttered, "there's something ahead of us… something big."

He took an uneasy step forward. Nami followed suit, still clinging to his shirt. Under the circumstances, he found it was a little irritating. What if he had to dodge an attack? Nami would just hold him in place like a shield, and might even end up getting them killed!

He took another step, and the large shadow that rose out of the fog became a little clearer.

At first glance, Zoro had thought it might have been a wall. Instead, he felt his heart stop for a moment, and a gasp from behind him let him know that Nami was just as startled as he was.

Before them, holding stock still, was a snake.

It was hundreds of feet long, with scales the size of dinner plates, and a body as thick as the trees around them. It was so long that Zoro couldn't see the end of the tail, nor the head, but it wouldn't matter. If it lunged out of the fog, it could be from any direction.

The swordsman frowned as Nami quietly shivered behind him. She was tugging on his shirt, as if trying to pull him away from the beast.

"Zoro…"

"What?"

"I really don't like snakes," she said, sounding as though she were about to cry.

A voice from above them made the pair jump.

"There's no need to fear," Robin said, standing atop the snake, "this is only a snake skin. The beast that shed it is long gone."

"Don't scare us like that!" Zoro yelled, pointing his sword as Robin, who created handholds (with actual hands that sprouted from the snake skin) and clambered down.

"Are you guys sure it's gone?" Nami asked quietly from behind Zoro.

"What's wrong, miss navigator?" Robin queried.

"I just… really don't like snakes."

"In any case, where were you?" Zoro wondered, glancing at the dark haired woman suspiciously.

She looked unperturbed by his scrutiny, answering as normally as ever.

"I was looking for signs of a civilization, but it would seem that there was nothing here to begin with. I suppose that explains why a giant snake would make this place its home."

The archaeologist put a hand to her cheek, looking rather unhappy. Nami was positively cowering behind Zoro, who was all that stood between her and that giant snake skin that looked horribly life-like. At her insistence, all three of them left the hollow, slowly but surely reemerging into the bright sunlight as the mist and chill fell away. In the returning sunlight, Nami's skin looked strangely pale.

"It's crazy to think a snake of that size still exists," she said quietly.

Robin gave her a smile, "Well, we can't be sure it's still alive. For all we know it could be dead and gone. That snake skin could've been there for ages."

"Either that, or it's out there, somewhere," Zoro said casually, "after all, if it was that big, it wouldn't be able to fit between the trees in that part of the forest."

Something caught Zoro's hand. He looked down to see Nami walking in step with him, looking as though the calm she'd regained since they'd left the hollow was dwindling. She squeezed his fingers tightly.

"Don't say things like that," she muttered.

Robin turned around to look at them, and the pair quickly stopped holding hands.

"What was that, Miss Navigator?"

"I was just telling Zoro to stop scaring me like that," said Nami, her face touched with pink.

Zoro smiled at her. Something of his courage seemed to have rubbed off on Nami, and his encouraging grin filled her with rekindled hope. If there was gold to be had, no one was better equipped to find it than her.

"This way," the navigator said, quickly taking the lead and marching across a root that traversed a river. Robin raised an eyebrow at Zoro who shook his head and followed after Nami, the corners of his lips still pulled into a small smile.

* * *

The town of Water Seven was both beautiful and majestic, though on days like today, such beauty was hardly noticeable.

The Going Merry was irreparable. Two hundred million beris were stolen, and just when things couldn't get any worse, Usopp had been beaten within an inch of his life. Robin was nowhere to be found. After declaring that he was no longer a Strawhat Pirate, Usopp had left. In an hour, he and Luffy would be dueling for ownership of the Going Merry.

"I can't believe this," Nami mumbled into her pillow.

That morning, everyone had been so happy. The city had seemed so serene and amazing. How could it all have been torn to pieces so easily?

Usopp was half dead already, and Luffy was not the kind of guy to go easy on an opponent, whether it was a friend or not. A part of Nami was glad that Robin wasn't in their quarters to see her sobbing, but that left the question: where was Robin? Where could she have gone? Why would she not come back?

A knock on the hatch that led into her quarters caught her attention, and Nami dried her face on her pillow.

"Come in," she said.

Heavy boots took careful steps into her room, and she knew who it was instantly.

"What do you want, Zoro?"

The swordsman frowned, but he couldn't blame Nami for her anger. Though he didn't show it, he was just as upset about Usopp's departure.

"Sanji is making tea for everyone. He said that I should ask if you were hungry. With all that's happened, we all forgot about having dinner," he told her.

"I'm not really hungry," Nami replied. She felt that if she tried to eat, she would only end up being sick.

Zoro took a seat on the edge of her bed, running his fingers through his moss green hair.

"Starving yourself won't do any good," Zoro said. "And it won't magically make Usopp rejoin the crew."

Nami turned around to glare at Zoro. He looked completely unaffected by the goings on, but Nami knew better. She could see the pain in his bloodshot eyes, and he smelled like he'd been hitting the liquor stores below deck.

"You're one to talk," she growled. "How is drowning yourself in booze gonna help the situation."

"It doesn't help the situation. It helps me get _through_ the situation." The swordsman said.

Nami sat up from the bed. She sat next to Zoro, and threw an arm over his shoulder. A shiver ran up his spine, and then-

WHAM!

She half suplexed Zoro onto the bed. It didn't hurt, but the sudden movement caught him by surprise. Within moments, Nami was on top of him, but far from looking like she wanted company, she looked furious.

"I can't believe you," she said, "you're so drunk that I managed to get the leg up on you! Exactly how much have you had tonight?"

"Not nearly enough," Zoro sighed, closing his eyes so that he didn't have to face Nami's disgusted expression.

"You're pathetic," she decided, "at least Sanji showed some emotion… at least he stopped Luffy when he was beating up on a guy that was almost dead a few hours ago! What did you do when your captain knocked Usopp to the floor? Nothing! You let him do it, because you were scared, weren't you?! When Usopp threw himself at your feet and begged your forgiveness, how did you react?! You pried him off in disgust!"

"That's not what happened," Zoro mumbled.

"Oh yeah?" Nami said loudly, grabbing hold of Zoro's collar, "then enlighten me, Roronoa Zoro! What sort of twisted logic do you use to justify your complete disregard for everyone else's feelings?! How do you live with yourself? How do you manage to stay so calm when our crew is falling apart, and our friends are beating each other to death?!"

Nami looked so tired that it hurt Zoro's heart. Her eyes were wide and intense, filled with a fire Zoro hadn't seen in ages. How could he start to describe how he felt about the situation? He wasn't really the touchy feely type, after all.

He took a shaky breath, tasting the burn of the alcohol in his throat.

"I'm the swordsman… It's my job to protect the crew. That's the only reason I'm here and… today I failed. Usopp doesn't need my forgiveness, I should be the one asking for his. And as for Luffy, he is the captain, but that isn't why I didn't interfere when it came to blows. Usopp loves the Merry, and he loves Kaya. But Luffy loves the Merry, too. When two men's prides clash, getting in the way will only make things worse."

Nami gave that some thought, and suddenly realized Zoro was right. If Usopp and Luffy had just talked things out, none of this would have happened. If no one had butted in, if Sanji hadn't been so defensive of Usopp, his pride might not have pushed him to leave the crew.

"I know better than anyone that duels are sacred, so when the time comes, I'll bear witness… but that's all. I won't interfere. To do so would only hurt their pride, and do more damage. As for why I'm drinking so much… I lost two good friends today, in both the Merry and Usopp, and Sanji's constant goading doesn't help. So I'll drink my fill and watch that duel, and I'll hope that both Luffy and Usopp make it out alive."

"You blame yourself," Nami realized, "don't you?"

Zoro swallowed past the painful lump in his throat, "Yeah. If I'd been there…"

Tears fell from Nami's eyes and left wet marks on Zoro's shirt. She stared down at the man as if seeing him for the first time. Throughout this entire ordeal, he'd shown no emotion, and done everything in his power not to get involved. That didn't mean he didn't feel the pain that was burrowed deep into the heart of the Strawhat Pirates, like some great splinter. A member of their crew had just left. A good friend had been lost, and the Merry was too far gone for repairs. Zoro felt the pain just as deeply as any of them. Only, he didn't seem to have the ability to express that pain.

"I'm sorry," Nami said, fighting back tears once more. "I just-"

"It's not your fault. We're all hurting, and it's easy to stand on the sidelines and judge. After all, we understand that the Merry needs a break… but none of us can really grasp just how much she means to Usopp. He knows her better than any of us."

Ten o'clock came. The darkness was heavy as gentle waves rocked the Merry. Her hull creaked and groaned, but everyone was so wrapped up in their own thoughts, no one bothered to disturb the peace.

Luffy stood from his spot on her prow, the catalogue of ships for sale still clenched in his hand.

"It's ten o'clock," he said to himself.

As Luffy waited on the cape for Usopp to appear, visions of their past together played in his head.

Meanwhile, on the deck of the Going Merry, Sanji, Nami, Chopper, and Zoro all stood in silence.

"Shouldn't we stop this?" Chopper asked worriedly, giving voice to Nami and Sanji's thoughts, "Usopp's injuries are pretty bad."

"If you can't stand to watch then go inside," Zoro said, keeping his eyes fixed on the two men as they sized each other up.

When the fight commenced, Zoro wasn't quite sure what to expect. He watched as Usopp used his wits to stay one step ahead of Luffy, and it quickly became clear that Usopp had planned for every eventuality. The field was laced with caltrops that he had no doubt spent hours fashioning before the fight.

There was a determination in Usopp's glare that made Zoro frown. It was a look that made it impossible to rule him out of the fight, even with Luffy's devil fruit powers as a factor.

As Zoro stood on the deck of the Merry, he could just imagine Usopp sitting in an abandoned workshop somewhere, preparing for this battle. For a man who fought with his mind, it was this sort of forethought that would make him a fierce adversary. What the tinkerer lacked in physical strength, he made up for with wit and ingenuity.

A strange smoke rolled over the cape, and Usopp raised his trusty sling.

"You're now completely surrounded by gas," he proclaimed.

Digging in his bag, Usopp pulled out a flame star, and aimed it at Luffy. He knew that he would no doubt be in range of the blast, but he didn't care. He let the attack fly, and in an instant, the entirety of the cape was bathed in flame.

Zoro just barely managed to hoist the anchor before the attack struck.

"Take cover," he yelled at his crewmates.

The force of the blast rocked the Merry. The smell of scorched earth and burning hair was accompanied by the faint scent of rotting eggs. The sea itself roiled in dissatisfaction, and the Going Merry was slowly carried further out to sea.

"Usopp!" Nami called, "Luffy!"

She looked as though she wanted to jump the rail and swim to shore, but Zoro blocked her path.

"Don't," he said, "the duel isn't finished."

Luffy stared into the smoke, breathing in the acrid scent of burning gas all around him. It seemed that Usopp's last attack had knocked something loose, for Luffy was once again caught in his memories of the time they had first met, and the moment Usopp had joined their crew.

Before the dust could even settle, both combatants were on their feet. Usopp countered Luffy's Gum-Gum Gatlin with a cactus projectile that broke apart on impact and sent shrapnel everywhere. He fired exploding stars that made Nami's eardrums pop, and put Luffy on the defensive.

The tinkerer even managed to counter Luffy's Gum-Gum Bazooka with an impact dial, before immediately turning the force of the attack on its owner.

Blood flew through the air. Nami felt her knees go wobbly. She knew that this was wrong… Luffy and Ussopp had been such good friends, and for so long. How could things have come to a head like this? She pondered Zoro's words from earlier, about the collision of two men's prides. By observing the faces on the duelists, it was clear that his judgement was sound. Both of them were fighting to win. They both had something to prove. Friends or no, their wills would not relent, and so neither could they.

"I will not be defeated by you!" Usopp screamed in pain and desperation, clutching his arm as he sank to one knee.

The friends made eye contact, both seeing each other's resolve. Something in their eyes told of the fire within them, the drive that kept them on the warpath. No matter how many fond memories flashed in their minds, they could not afford to show mercy.

"GUM-GUUUUM…" Luffy threw back an arm as Usopp regained his footing. Nami's eyes widened with shock as his rubbery fist shot through the smoke and dust.

"BULLET!"

Nami closed her eyes, but she couldn't drown out the sound of the impact, nor the quiet sound of gurgling as blood filled Usopp's throat. Zoro could feel sadness radiating from the navigator in waves as she shook, holding her head in her hands and clenching her eyes shut. As much as he desired to put an arm around her shoulder, Sanji was standing right behind him, and he had a duty to bear witness to the conclusion of the duel.

"Usopp!" Chopper called out.

He didn't respond. The long nosed man lost his footing, falling to the ground face first. Luffy panted, watching carefully to make sure Usopp was still alive.

"At least it's over, now." Zoro murmured, his chest aching as he listened to Nami's quiet weeping next to him.

Luffy's entire body hurt. He was covered in puncture wounds from caltrops and cactus needles. The anger on his face was to be expected. Every fond memory he had of Usopp was turning sour as he stared down at the man who he'd called a friend.

"You Idiot," Luffy growled, "you knew it would end like this… you knew you could never beat me!"

With no response forthcoming, the captain stood, and went over to where he'd dropped his hat, which was still miraculously intact.

"Why did this have to happen?" Nami asked, her hands covering her mouth. Everyone felt their hearts pull towards her words. It seemed so unreal that such a bond could be broken so suddenly.

"Do whatever you want with the Merry," Luffy said quietly, "I won't let anything hold us back. We're getting a new ship, and sailing forward."

Usopp heard the gentle tap of Luffy's sandals as he left. The tinkerer summoned the last dregs of his strength and clenched a fist as sweet memories surfaced. Perhaps it was the blood loss and beatings finally catching up with him, but it felt real as he saw all of the good times he'd had with his friends.

"So long, Usopp," Luffy said tiredly, "it was fun… while it lasted."

Chopper threw on his medical bag, making to dive over the railing of the Going Merry before Sanji caught him by the elbow.

"Chopper, leave him alone," Sanji insisted.

"What are you saying? He was already hurt before, if I don't help him who knows what'll happen?"

Sanji released the reindeer, who quickly made a break for it, only to be caught yet again, this time with both hands.

"He isn't a part of our crew anymore," the cook said, struggling to keep Chopper on deck.

The reindeer grew, changing into his human form. "So what?! I'm a doctor! It's my job to treat him!"

He turned around, swinging his huge arm in wide arc. Sanji ducked the blow and leapt up, driving his forearm into the reindeer man's sternum as he pinned him down.

"It's bad enough that he lost the duel," the blonde man explained quietly, "if you pity him at a time like this you'll end up hurting him more than any of those injuries!"

Tears began to fall from Choppers eyes. The way Sanji was speaking reminded him of someone, but who?

The reindeer spotted Zoro over Sanji's shoulder. The man stood with his back to the cape, his arms crossed. Normally, he'd never miss a chance to argue with Sanji, so the fact that he didn't now must have meant that Zoro agreed with him.

"I'm sure you have good intentions, but all we can do now is give him dignity in defeat." Sanji's eye bored into Choppers. "He knew that when he challenged Luffy to a duel, this is how it might end."

Try as he might, Luffy couldn't face his crewmates. Nami's tear filled eyes were fixed upon him, looking as if she'd seen far too much fighting for one day. Zoro didn't even turn around to address Luffy. He stood with his back to him, stoic and unfeeling as ever.

Meanwhile, every muscle in Luffy's body was overcome with shivers as the adrenaline from his fight kicked in. He was covered in wounds, and so very tired. His heart seemed filled with a dull, throbbing ache that wouldn't relent.

"It's too much," he mumbled through gritted teeth.

"This is what it means to be captain," Zoro said bluntly. "You can't doubt yourself. In times like these, if you lose your confidence… then who can we have faith in?"

With tears in his eyes, Chopper jumped from the deck of the Going Merry, leaving several bottles of disinfectants, anesthetics and, and various other medicines by Usopp, who remained prone and unmoving.

As tears came to the eyes of his crew mates, Zoro knew that he would have to be the one to keep everyone focused. Even Luffy was crying, and he would no doubt need some time to sort out his feelings.

"Let's pack our things and go," Zoro said to the group at large. "You know as well as me that after tonight, we can never return to this ship again."

* * *

 _ **Author's Notes:**_

 _ **Were you guys surprised at the sudden arc and a half difference in the story? You can thank my crippling writer's block for that. It was so bad that I kept being unable to write anything, so I decided to end things there and catch this story up to where I am now in the One Piece timeline, which is the Water 7 Arc. This one was part rewrite, part original, but I must say it's the perfect opportunity for a little drama. Don't get me wrong, Skypeia was great and all but the prompts for romance were nill.**_

 _ **RIP Going Merry, ye magnificent bastard. RIP my feels.**_

 _ ***Sad music to listen to because you're sad***_

 _ **Take Her Down- Rueben Young**_

 _ **Breakdown- Seether**_

 _ **listen if you hate someone- vaboh**_

 _ **Falling Down- XXXTentacion & Lil Peep**_

 _ **Unconditional- Matt Maeson**_

 _ **Thanks for reading, guys. Sorry it took so long.**_


	13. Picking Up the Pieces

After that, it wasn't much work to clear out the Going Merry. Several bags soon stood in the center of the ship, filled with various personal possessions. Zoro had very few possessions, the most important of which were hanging from his waist. As everyone else packed, he kept an eye on Usopp. He hadn't moved from where he lay in the dirt. Zoro couldn't blame him. With how awful everyone else was feeling, it was hard to imagine being beaten to a pulp several times in one day, only to lose everyone you had called a friend. It was enough to break the will of any man, no matter how strong they were.

' _That's probably why he refuses to believe the Merry isn't fixable_ ,' Zoro thought to himself, _'_ _if he admitted that, it would essentially mean that he had lost everything he worked so hard to maintain_.'

"Alright, that's the last of it," Sanji announced, placing a bag of pots and pans onto the pile with a muffled clatter.

"Ok. Nami, where is the nearest inn?" Zoro asked.

She frowned, peering into the city. Using her eyes, she could easily trace the path she had taken into the city. It was almost as if she were drawing a map within her head as she thought up a suitable place for them to go. After a few moments, a fancy hotel came to her mind.

"There's a hotel not too far in," she said, "it's pretty big, too. It should still be open."

"Fine, it'll do."

"But what about the money?" Chopper asked.

"We're already running low after losing two thirds of our cash from the Skypiea loot," Sanji pointed out, "is it wise to spend even more on a fancy hotel?"

Zoro looked around at the pale faces of his friends, which were worn and beleaguered by the day they'd just had. They were all so worn out and tired. They needed to sleep, though something told him it was going to be a fairly sleepless night for the lot of them. Zoro turned away from the others, thumbing the tsuba of the Wado Ichimonji.

"Wise or not, we can't sleep in the streets. Two of us have bounties… and personally, I think we're all deserving of a little peace. Something tells me things are only going to get more complicated the longer we stay in this town," the swordsman sighed.

"You heard him," Nami said, relief flowing through her like a pleasant warmth, "follow me, I'll lead us to the hotel."

"But what about all of our-" Chopper's words broke off as Zoro effortlessly lifted the bags from the ground, slinging them onto his arms without even breaking a sweat and marching off after the navigator.

"So strooong," the reindeer noted under his breath, stars in his eyes as he followed after Zoro.

As they crossed the cape, steadfastly ignoring the defeated Usopp, Zoro fell into step with Nami. Sanji and Chopper followed after them, leaving Luffy to bring up the rear. He hadn't said a word since Zoro had told him not to lose faith, and his face was an emotionless slate, with his eyes obscured by the shadow of his trademark straw hat. For a kid as compulsive and loudmouthed as he was to be silent was a wonder all its own, and quite a statement as to how big an impact Usopp's leaving had on him.

"Hey, Zoro," Nami said quietly.

"Hmm?"

"You think Luffy will be ok?"

Zoro's scowl deepened. While it wasn't like Luffy to get so depressed, the guy was made of rubber. The swordsman had no doubts that their captain would bounce back sooner or later.

"He's gotta sort through his feelings about this mess, just like the rest of us," Zoro mumbled. "Once he has a new plan of action, he'll be right back to his old self again."

"Yeah," she agreed, "you're probably right."

Nami's frown didn't waver, and as much as Zoro would've liked to cheer her up with a comforting arm around her shoulders, Sanji would immediately take offence, and turn into the overprotective idiot he normally was when it came to the female members of the Strawhat crew.

Following the walkways and bridges that crisscrossed through the city took more time than traveling by bull, but Nami thought it was best if everyone stayed together. If Zoro had his own bull, he'd end up lost and probably end up drowning or something. At least, that's how it felt. Whatever luck they'd had before arriving at Water Seven had officially run out. All they could do now was try to avoid any unnecessary pitfalls that fate decided to throw their way.

"Here," Nami came to a stop before a large, old building that was suffused with light. No one paid any attention as she marched up to the counter and struck up a conversation with the tired looking clerk, who handed her two room keys in exchange for several crisp beri bills. She led the way up the grand staircase, lightly tracing the fine marble banisters as she ascended. The great chandelier hanging in the foyer might have normally caught her eye, as it was made with dazzling golden metal and fabulous crystal shards that refracted the light, but today, Nami could not bring herself to think about money. Every time she did, she thought about two hundred million beris, and Usopp's tears as he lamented the fact that he could not face his friends after his failure. The look he'd worn put an unsavory twist in her gut.

She paused on the last step, causing Zoro to look up. Was it his imagination, or had a tear just fallen from her eye?

"Quit trying to look up Nami's skirt, scumbag," Sanji growled from behind him.

"I'm not you, so why would I do something like that?" Zoro's reply was halfhearted, at best. He was distracted by Nami's tears- if that was indeed what he had seen. Was the stress finally starting to get to her?

"Why you-" Sanji began.

"Guys." Nami's voice was a quiet murmur, barely louder than a whisper, but it silenced both men immediately. She didn't even need to tell them why she wanted them to stop arguing. The last few hours had been painful enough, and it would do no good to get everyone riled up all over again.

They arrived at their landing, in a room on the very top floor of the hotel. For what Nami had paid, they had been put up in the most luxurious suites available, with excellent views of the town, which dropped down in levels, giving them a splendid view of the ocean behind it. Each suite was equipped with enough lounges, beds, and love seats to give them all the sleeping surfaces they might need. They all took turns bathing themselves in the large bathrooms, the tubs of which had water jets that massaged away the tension from their bodies. Unfortunately, this did nothing for their minds, which were still so shaken it seemed sleep was impossible.

Still, Luffy hadn't said a word. After bathing and having his injuries tended to, he had left the suite. Zoro followed after him, only to come back minutes later and report that Luffy had gone to the roof, where he had taken to sitting on a tower adjacent from the hotel.

"I told him not to go anywhere."

"And?"

"He didn't say anything. He didn't move, though, so I'm assuming he heard me."

"Poor guy," Chopper said to himself, "he and Usopp were the best of friends… this has to be hard for him."

Nami sat cross-legged on the largest bed in the room, plucking at the bed sheets distractedly. Her bed clothes were warm and soft, and smelled like sleep, but she was too wired to sleep. Her nerves were fried, as if she'd just got done fighting a battle, but she hadn't really done any fighting at all that day. Her stomach growled, and with a start, she realized she hadn't eaten in hours.

"I'm gonna order some food," she decided, pulling the mouthpiece for the transponder snail from its receiver on the nightstand.

"I can cook for us," Sanji insisted, heading for the pile of bags in the corner that contained everything they'd taken from the Going Merry.

Ordinarily, the cook might have left a few morsels of food on the ship for Usopp, just so that he didn't go hungry, but his pride had forbade him doing so. Usopp would not want his help, and their supplies, as meager as they were, would need replenishing soon.

"No," Nami said, "that's fine. We should save our supplies. I'll order something from the kitchen for all of us."

"But-" Sanji began to argue, but Zoro cut him off.

"Listen to Nami," he said, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and his eyes closed, "there's no point in wasting supplies, and we're all pretty tired. It does us no good if you try to chop an onion and cut off your hand. Even the most skilled swordsmen make mistakes when they're tired."

"Let's all just order some food," the navigator reiterated. "We could all use a break… just for a night."

The cook scowled, but nodded all the same. Pulling his cigarettes from within his suit, he went for the door.

"I'm gonna go have a smoke."

When the door clicked shut behind him, Chopper looked up worriedly.

"I think we hurt his feelings," he said quietly.

Nami gnawed the inside of her cheek. Aside from Chopper, she and Zoro were completely alone. A smile played about her lips as an idea came to mind.

"Hey, why don't go after him?" she asked the reindeer innocently.

"Go after him?"

"Yeah, go keep Sanji and Luffy company. If they're both down in the dumps, it does no good for them to be together. They need someone who can lift their spirits, Chopper."

The reindeer dug his hooves into the carpet, looking sheepish. Nami's flattery always made him blush, but with how things had been going, it was a struggle just to crack a smile.

"There it is," Nami said sweetly, beaming at the reindeer's flawed attempt at happiness. "That will cheer them up, no problem."

"Y-you really think so?"

"I know so. It already cheered me up, see?" Nami grinned even more widely, and Chopper's face lit up.

"Ok," he said determinedly, "I'll do it!"

"Thanks, Chopper, you're such a sweetheart."

The deer blushed (which was quite something, considering he was completely coated in fur) and then he went to the door as well, standing on the tips of his hooves so as to reach the knob.

This left Zoro and Nami alone, though the swordsman didn't look as though he had noticed. He leaned against the wall, his eyes still closed. His breathing was slow and deep as Nami traced his biceps and tan skin, and the steady rise and fall of his chest. Wait a second… was he sleeping?!

"Wake up," Nami mumbled, throwing a pillow at the swordsman.

A hand shot out and caught the pillow before it hit Zoro. He opened one eye, looking between the soft, feathery headrest and the woman on the bed, who looked tired, distraught, and playful at the same time.

' _I guess all the stress really_ is _getting to her_ ,' he thought to himself, tossing the pillow back at Nami.

"I wasn't sleeping. I was resting my eyes. I'm not sure I could sleep now, anyway."

With slow, deliberate movements, Zoro placed the pillow in Nami's outstretched hands before returning to the wall he had been leaning against. Now, however, he took a seat on the floor, with his head resting against it. It was not lost on him that the navigator was overwhelmed by the day's events, and that she had wanted to be alone with him, but he felt it was poor form to take advantage of such a situation. There was something to be said for the swordsman's honor, after all.

Nami scowled at the seemingly dense warrior, unsure of how to get what she wanted. That was when she was struck by another question: what exactly did she want? Did she just need a hug? Or could it be that there was something more she needed- something only Zoro could provide for her?

With how horrible she felt, the desire to throw caution to the winds assuaged her. She needed to know she wasn't alone, that there was someone else who was just as beleaguered and weary as she was. She needed… she needed….

"Zoro?" asked Nami quietly, not looking at the man.

"Hm?"

"Come here."

The redhead laid herself against the bed, gently popping open the top button of her night shirt. Her eyes were so filled with desperate despair and loneliness that Zoro could feel her pain in his chest, like a painful tightness with no explanation. He did not budge, instead looking at Nami with unseeing eyes, as if peering into her heart and gazing upon the sorrow within.

He stood from his place on the floor, stepping over to the bed. He looked down at her with narrowed eyes, his head tilted. She obviously needed something… but _that_ wasn't it.

Zoro bent down, putting his face in hers, noting how her cheeks became suffused with rosy color. She smelled like perfume and shampoo, and the circles under her eyes were quite pronounced up close and personal. Her hair was still damp from her bath, but Zoro found it only made her even more beautiful.

But the sadness in her eyes was distracting, to the point where Zoro couldn't even see the woman in front of him. The more he looked into her eyes, the harder it was to focus on his surroundings. It was like being dragged into a battle, and he couldn't bring himself to look away. No, this was not what she wanted. This wasn't what she needed….

Sighing, the swordsman leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on Nami's forehead. Even that felt like he had gone overboard, but at that point, he was beyond caring. It was more important that she know she was not alone than it was for him to retain his reputation as an uncaring, unfeeling killing machine.

"Try to get some rest," he said to her, "it's gonna be a long night. For everyone."

"Uh, excuse me? What the hell was that?" Nami asked, her face red as she glared at Zoro.

The swordsman was pinned in place by the venom from her icy glare, which sent chills running along his spine and caused goosebumps to erupt on his arms.

"I… I was trying to be… y'know… thoughtful."

"Thoughtful? You perv, you thought I wanted to sleep with you!"

"Wha- No! Well, sort of- but-"

Before he could say another word, Nami had wrapped her arms around the swordsman, and after a few moments of struggle, she'd gotten him beneath the covers. The way she moved between the sheets was nothing short of amazing. In bed, Nami could maneuver herself like octopus, and before he knew it, Zoro was laying behind her, his face full of her hair as she sidled closer to him.

"Rub my back," Nami commanded, "it _is_ gonna be a long night… for you. You get to massage all the tension out of my neck and shoulders."

"Wait a minute- you expect me to-"

"Yep. And you'd better do a damn good job. I need to try and get a little sleep, and there's no way that's gonna happen with how tense I am. If I wake up sore tomorrow, your head is gonna roll."

"I'm not scared of you," Zoro muttered, more to himself than to Nami.

The redheaded navigator smirked to herself as the swordsman gave in and began to rub her back, "Yes you are."

* * *

 _ **Author's Notes:**_

 _ **Shorter chapter, but I did what I could. I thought I had more to tack on here, but like an idiot I didn't bother to make note of it and now the idea is gone. If I manage to remember it, I'll see about giving it a rewrite. Until then, I'll skip ahead to around where I am now in the story: the Enie's Lobby Arc.**_

 _ **Thanks for reading.**_

 _ ***Music***_

 _ **Swim-Chase Atlantic**_

 _ **Almost (Sweet Music)- Hozier**_


	14. Ways to Say 'Thank You'

Though death was closer at hand than it had ever been, Zoro had never felt more alive. His blood drummed in his veins as the sounds of screaming and the clash of metal rang in his ears. It was the thrill of battle, and the adrenaline in his veins that kept him alive. That, coupled with his almost superhuman physical training, gave him the tools he needed to not only survive on the battlefield, but to dominate it utterly.

He led the charge into the Tower of Justice, cutting through the thick stone doors with no problem. He singlehandedly defended his crewmates and allies from the onslaught of hundreds of marines, taking them out with a single blow that blew them sky-high, as if they'd been caught in a twister. But as he fought, he was keenly aware of Nami's presence at his side.

The navigator was dressed in a stylish jean jacket with her normal skirt and heels. Under calmer circumstances, Zoro might have berated her for dressing so scantily as they prepared for battle, but he had seen her fight. She was just as fierce as ever, and she swung her clima-tact with ease, overwhelming her opponents with speed and cunning. The average marine was far too busy staring at her body. They'd been stationed at Enies Lobby with nothing but other men for ages, so for them to come into contact with Nami was a jarring experience. Doubly so when she batted her eyelashes and brought her weapon down on their heads.

Still, whenever Zoro managed to get a look at her, there was something about her that caught his eye. It wasn't the way she was dressed, or the normal things that enraptured most men. It was something about her stance. The way she swung her weapon was enthralling to the swordsman, and the way she impatiently swatted the sweaty strands of hair from her face after a tough bout sent lighting through Zoro's spine and into his navel.

Watching her fight, and seeing how strong she'd become, was nothing short of awe inspiring.

Even compared to a marine, she was fairly able bodied. Sailing on a ship for so long seemed to have made her far stronger than she appeared. And that was to say nothing of her indomitable will, or her ability to stay one step ahead of an opponent in every fight.

They came into the courtroom proper, only to be met by a three headed judge and another platoon of Marines and CP9 underlings. From up in his high chair, the three headed man shouted and banged his gavel, but Zoro wasn't paying attention. From behind them, the sounds of battle became louder as more Marines fought to get into the courthouse, only to be pushed back by the giant frog, Yokozuna, and several members of the Franky family.

"All right, guys," Zambai said urgently, "you head up to the roof and join up with Straw Hat! We'll stay here at the door and hold off the Marines! We'll watch your back, so keep moving and don't worry about the small fries!"

"You got it," Zoro said, wondering how long the Franky Family could actually hold the doors. Sure, they were tenacious, but they only numbered to be about fifty, total. They were up against thousands of Marines, and not all of them were weak.

Nami's eyes widened, and she pointed up at the stand, where the judge was still rambling.

"Hey, it looks like they're starting some sort of trial over there!" she exclaimed.

Zoro followed her outstretched finger, noting how the platoon of in the courtroom looked ready for a fight. No one amongst them, save the three headed judge, seemed to pose any real threat.

"Who cares! Just ignore them. Which way do we go?" Zoro asked.

"Straight ahead," Nami told him, "there are stairs on both sides! Let's make our way to the top!"

"Right," Zoro said, moving to intercept the platoon before they had a chance to open fire on Nami and the Franky Family.

The indignant cries of the Marines and agents were lost on Zoro as he concentrated on the power he had managed to unlock so long ago while fighting Mr. 1. It was a power he had worked hard to perfect, even going so far as to develop several techniques from it. This mysterious power allowed him to extend the reach of his swords beyond that of a normal blade, rendering marksmen useless. No longer did he have to close with them to slay them. He could take them all out at a distance.

Whether this power stemmed from the cursed sword he held in his hand or some other ability, Zoro didn't know or care. All he knew was that it allowed him to win, putting him another step closer in his dream to finally become the world's most powerful swordsman. Not only that, but earning such a title might woo a certain redheaded navigator, as well. It would put him miles ahead of that worthless cook, anyway.

A cloud of ominous energy seemed to flow out of Zoro, taking the shape of a shimmering butterfly-esque figure, except it was not beautiful, but horrifying. It's glowing red eyes made all the Marines take a step back, and several of the CP9 agents had the blood drain from their faces.

"Charming Demon," Zoro growled through the hilt of the Wado Ichimonji, "Sleepless Night!"

Several men in the platoon turned and attempted to flee, but it was already too late.

"Onigiri!"

Zoro flew forward, diving through the platoon with his swords outstretched. Bodies flew through the air as countless terrified screams echoed within the halls of the courthouse. And then, all at once, they fell to the floor, lifeless and unmoving. The only people who looked unfazed by this incredible display of swordsmanship were Nami and Chopper, though that was most likely because they had grown used to his immense strength.

Nami couldn't help but smile at all the awed expressions from the Frank Family and the judge. Zoro could be such a show off, though his strength was undeniable. The way he had taken down so many Marines with a single blow was incredible. Not for the first time, she was glad to have the swordsman on her side. In terms of raw fighting ability, Zoro was only rivaled by Luffy. The man was a powerhouse unto himself… and he looked pretty good in yellow. The Marines of Enies Lobby were no doubt fit, but Zoro was on another level entirely, and every time she looked at his abs, she felt her face go incredibly hot.

"Well, that's that," Zoro said, snapping Nami out of her somewhat inappropriate reverie. "Now, let's get moving!"

"R-right!" Nami stammered, her heart pounding as she let Zoro take the lead.

"Hey, hey, hey WAIT!" called a familiar voice that made Zoro roll his eyes.

Sure enough, when he stopped, Sanji was legging it past Zambai and the others.

"Outta the way, reindeer, outta the way, moss head! I'm comin' through! Somebody's gotta protect Nami from all these bad guys, and that sombody's gonna be me, dammit!"

He kicked off from the floor, lashing out at both Zoro and Chopper.

"Now move!"

"Watch it!" Zoro chided.

His rage broke through his calm exterior, and suddenly he was up in arms against the blonde cook, ready and willing to throw down.

"If you wanna settle this, then bring it!" he roared, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

"Shut up!" Sanji replied in kind, "this if your fault for trying to hog Nami all for yourself!"

He turned to the redhead, who looked completely unable to process the absurdity of Sanji's thought process.

"Follow me, Nami," Sanji said gently, "forget about him."

Zoro crossed his arms, watching Nami closely. She met his eyes and shrugged, like ' _Well, what can you do?_ '

"Uh, hey," she asked, sounding perplexed, "we can to this place to rescue Robin, remember?"

Sanji felt like he'd been slugged in the gut by shame as he skidded to a stop. How could he have forgotten about Robin? Images of the dark haired woman's soft, serene smile cut through his consciousness.

"I bet she's waiting for me," he realized, "she's waiting for her prince to come save her!"

He resumed his pace, taking the stairs two at a time as he raced up the tower, "She's probably crying right now because she misses me so much!"

"Whatever," Nami sighed under her breath.

Meanwhile, in his unwillingness to follow that idiot of a cook, Zoro took off towards a shadowy doorway. He didn't care where he ended up, so long as he was away from that annoying blonde bastard.

He heard a holler from behind him as Chopper called his name.

"Come back, Zoro! That's the wrong way!"

"Yeah, I know," Zoro muttered to himself before raising his voice and calling back, "you sure?!"

Nami leaned over the banister, shouting at Zoro at the top of her lungs. He normally might have gotten mad, but with her somewhat skimpy top, he caught a glimpse of a rather embarrassing amount of her chest.

"How can you screw this up when the stairs are right in front of your face?!" Nami screamed. "What's wrong with you?!"

Unwilling to admit the real reason he'd gone a different route, Zoro flushed with color and responded without thinking.

"If you'd stop giving such crappy directions, this wouldn't happen!"

Almost immediately, Zoro regretted his words. Nami was the ship's navigator. Her sense of direction was unparalleled, and her directions were unmatched in both precision and clarity. It wasn't her fault that Sanji was an unbearable ass, but it was already too late. He saw angry tears in Nami's eyes, and her lips grew tight. Never in her life had someone insulted her navigation ability.

"You are not blaming this on me!" she hollered, her face red as she glared at the swordsman, who quickly corrected his course and made his way up the steps.

Before he could meet up with Nami and Chopper, the redhead swung her climatact and brought it down on the top of Zoro's head.

"Never disrespect me like that again!" she commanded shrilly.

Zoro bit back a sharp retort, massaging the top of his head. He'd done a hell of a lot worse to people whom had insulted his sword skills. It was only fitting he accepted Nami's punishment.

"Yeah… sorry."

Nami pouted for a moment before Chopper chimed in, "I'll try to make you some medicine later… to fix your brain problem."

"Brain problem?" the swordsman asked, grumpily, still rubbing the top of his head to keep the swelling at a minimum.

Nami and Chopper advanced, following after Sanji, who had no intentions of waiting after remembering that Robin was in grave peril. The reindeer stopped, pausing to check on Zoro's progress.

"Are you still with us Zoro?! It's this way!"

"Yeah, I know," the green haired man said exasperatedly.

A shadow fell over Chopper, who scowled. Looking up, his face twisted with panic as he saw the large three headed man flying towards him, no longer sporting a gavel, but a great saber, which was raised over his head in preparation for a cleaving blow.

"Think you can ignore the Chief Justice, huh?!"

A strangled cry escaped Chopper's lips as he, Zoro, and Nami all dodged the attack, which split the very stones beneath their feet. The three headed man slipped on the shattered stone and managed to catch himself on the ledge. Even so, the three pirates were still on guard. Zoro threw out an arm, putting his sword between his friends and the enemy.

"Chopper, Nami, go on ahead. I'll make quick work of this thing and catch up with you in a second."

Zoro sounded confident, but Nami didn't want to leave him behind. All of her anger was temporarily forgotten in the face-er- _faces_ of such an enemy. The three headed man quickly took offense to Zoro's words, and the center head began to speak.

"Oh, I'm a thing, now, am I? And easy to defeat, no less?! I'll teach you the meaning of fear you little-"

The Chief Justice tried to pull himself up onto the ledge, but failed. All three of his heads turned in unison. Hanging from his boots, and grinning wickedly, was Zambai, who was also supported by several other members of the Franky Family. As one they pulled him down slowly but surely loosening the three headed man's grip on the ledge until he fell.

Zambai stepped forward, his sword unsheathed as she stared down the head in the center.

"You gotta go through us first, Cerberus!"

Zoro grinned. Yep, those guys from the Franky Family were tenacious in the extreme.

"Let's go," Zoro said, not waiting for a response as he turned and made for the next flight of stairs.

The redhead felt like her heart might beat right out of her chest when she saw Zoro's smile. She was dazed for a moment before she recovered, murmuring, "Uh, right."

* * *

Victory was never as glamorous as it was made out to be, at least, not in Zoro's eyes.

But still, when he and everyone else had leapt onto the Going Merry and succeeded in evading the Buster Call battleships, he couldn't help but crack and smile and sigh in relief.

After all, why shouldn't he smile? The day had been won. Everyone was alive and relatively unharmed, though Luffy no longer had the energy to stand on his own two feet. Robin had been saved from the clutches of the World Government. CP9 had been defeated, and the Buster Call, which had once haunted Robin's worst nightmares, no longer held sway over the voluptuous devil-fruit user.

The fact that the Merry had managed to chart a course to the Straw Hats all on its own was fascinating in its own right, but Nami confirmed that aside from the normal crew, plus Franky, Kokoro, and Chimney, no one else was on deck. Zoro would be hard pressed to explain what it was that had made the entire crew jump towards the ocean on a whim. There was something almost supernatural about the experience. If he hadn't witnessed it firsthand, he'd have called the story a damned lie.

But it was the truth, and everyone aboard the Merry was a testament to its mysterious sentience. Even so, the thrill of victory could only do so much. Those assembled were so tired that they could hardly stand. And all of them, excluding Kokoro and Chimney, were covered in countless bruises, scrapes, and other injuries. It was only natural to be so worn down from numerous battles of epic proportions.

The fear that they were about to be apprehended and killed slowly lessened as the orange glow from the fires of Enies Lobby faded into the distance. Hope had returned, and their eyes sparkled as the Straw Hats stared incredulously at each other. They could hardly believe it. They were alive, and the day was theirs!

With renewed vigor, everyone worked together to chart a course back to Water Seven. There was little else they could do, as all of their possessions had been removed from the ship following Luffy's duel with Usopp.

"Hey, Zoro, come with me." Nami called.

She was still wearing her skimpy black tank top with her short skirt. With an abundance of bare midriff and countless bruises gracing her ivory skin, she was an absolute vision to the swordsman. He carefully avoided breaking eye contact and looking at her body as he answered.

"What for?"

"What do you mean 'what for'? How about the fact that ships don't just steer themselves across stormy, monster infested, Marine controlled waters without skilled people aboard! I need protection when I go and check all the rooms below deck." She put her hands to her hips, frowning at Zoro as if he were thick.

Sanji was immediately at her side. After his little stunt with the Gates of Justice, Zoro's patience with the stupid blonde cook had very nearly run out. Sure, he'd made it so that the Marines couldn't follow them, but that was just dumb luck. The fact of the matter was that he had abandoned his allies during a critical battle. Even though they had all escaped relatively unscathed, it rubbed Zoro the wrong way, and reeked of cowardice.

"If you need protection, I'd be more than happy to lend you my services, Nami swaaaaaan!" Sanji yammered mindlessly, fawning over the incredible amount of skin the navigator was showing.

"I'll call you if I need you, but for the moment, Zoro should be more than enough," she said decisively, marching into the hold and leaving Zoro to follow after her.

As he made to walk past the cook, Sanji narrowed his eyes, showcasing his supreme dislike of the swordsman. Zoro was sorely tempted to stick out his tongue when a sharp, "Zoro!" broke the silence, and he bowed into the darkness of the hold after Nami.

Down in the hold, the slow, steady rocking of the waves could be heard as they lapped against the hull of the Going Merry. The ship creaked and groaned piteously, and Zoro felt a slight pang in his chest as he thought about the keel, which was still broken. He put a hand against the wood of the wall, trying to convey his silent thanks for the timely rescue.

" _Your welcome_ ," said a quiet voice.

He spun around, his sword at the ready, but no one was there. His eyes swiveled this way and that as he stared into the dark corners. Without all of their supplies and belongings, the Merry looked more like a ghost ship, but she still felt familiar and nostalgic. He never thought he'd be able to walk through the hold again, so to be there, in what had once been considered home territory, was a refreshing change of pace.

"Zoro, what's wrong? Why are you just standing there?" Nami asked, tapping the swordsman on the shoulder and making him flinch.

"I thought I heard someone." He answered shortly.

Nami arched an eyebrow at him, but she didn't criticize, which was most unlike her.

"Yeah, so did I…." She let her quiet confession trail off before turning around and leading the way deeper into the hold. Zoro sighed and wandered after her, questioning the woman's logic. If he was supposed to protect her from danger, wouldn't it make more sense for _him_ to go in first?

They arrived in the boys' bunk, which had once been filled with net hammocks and the smell of testosterone. Now, it just seemed sad and empty, devoid of the usual homey charm it had once contained, though the smell still lingered.

"There's no one here," Nami was saying, scratching her head, "but I was sure I heard someone."

Zoro scanned the room, "Keep your guard up."

Then from the dark corner of the room a pair of glowing red eyes appeared. They were low to the floor, and the sound of scampering was loud in the quiet. Zoro tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword as Nami turned as white as a ghost. It moved again, this time scampering back the way it had come. The shadow seemed reluctant to go through Zoro. Perhaps it could sense his killing intent.

Then it charged Nami.

"AAAAAAAAARRRGGGGHHH!" she screamed, leaping bodily onto Zoro and clambering onto his back as she tried to get away from the rat that had been inches from sinking its razor sharp teeth into her foot.

"GET IT AWAY FROM ME! KILL IT, KILL IT!"

"Get offa me, I can't swing my sword with you hanging on me like a jungle gym!"

"KILL IT!"

The rat, sensing the chaos it had caused, managed to scramble around Zoro's feet, avoiding his boots as he tried to stomp it out of existence.

"KILLITKILLITKILLIT!"

"MMPH!"

Zoro's face was now covered, as Nami had climbed as high as she could to escape the rat. She was balanced on the very top of Zoro's head, her midriff tickled by his moss green hair. Her hands were clasped around his mouth to prevent her from falling off, and her bosom was obscuring his sight. He staggered around, trying not to fall as Nami shrieked so loudly he felt his ears pop. All of her weight was on his neck, and his muscles bulged from the strain as she dug her knees into his shoulders.

He felt something collide with his boot, and a surprised squeak met his ears. Using his free hand to push Nami's cleavage out of his eyes, he saw the rat fly through the air and into the next room. Silence followed, and Zoro panted, reveling in his accidental victory over a rodent as he waited to see if it would emerge from the shadows once more.

"Zoro, if you're trying to cop a feel, all you have to do is ask," Nami grumbled, her voice brimming with irritation.

The swordsman's face turned blue.

He'd been shielding his eyes from Nami's breasts as normally as he would shield them from the sun. He felt all of Nami's weight shift to his shoulders, and then mind shattering pain as she drove her knee into his spine. He hit the ground, stiff as a board while Nami landed with all the silent grace expected of a cat burglar.

She swept her hair behind her shoulder, smiling in a satisfied manner as Zoro groaned and pushed himself off the ground.

"I can't feel my legs!" he groaned.

"Oh, walk it off, you perv."

Nami crossed her arms and stalked away with her nose in the air, swinging her hips to give Zoro something to look at as she left. Moments later she reappeared, her eyes wide as the same rat from before, now livid from being flung into a wall, chased after her.

"Dammit Zoro, quit lying there and save me!"

She bent down, shaking Zoro with one hand and rubbing the knot she'd left in his back with the other. The rat pounced, its red eyes flashing with hate, spittle flying from its maw as it prepared to sink its teeth and claws into Nami's face.

A hand enclosed around the rat, squeezing it so tightly that its eyes bulged, and it clawed at the fingers holding it. Zoro lifted the rat to eye level, pushing himself off the ground. The rodent looked terrified, and clearly knew it was no match for the swordsman, whose body had unlocked with Nami's frenzied massaging.

"I've killed entire squads of men with one single attack," Zoro glared menacingly at the rat. "For you to hold up against one of them is… interesting. Get off this ship. Train yourself, and maybe one day we'll have a proper fight."

The rat squeaked as it hit the floor and scampered towards the exit. Nami stared at Zoro like he was insane.

"Did you really just tell that rat to get stronger so that you could fight it again?"

"It had a warrior's heart. Even a blind man could see it," Zoro said, rubbing his dirtied hand on his pants before sitting up gingerly.

Nami helped him, still a little guilty about how she had accidentally paralyzed him. She remembered all the fighting he had been doing since they arrived at Water Seven, and suddenly her guilt intensified. Without Zoro, they all would have died. Hell, if any one of them had fallen, their plan would have crumbled to dust.

But they were alive. And because of that, Zoro was able to challenge a rat to a fated duel. Nami smiled at the notion, sitting next to Zoro, who carefully stretched his arms and legs.

"I still can't believe it." She sighed.

Zoro frowned. "I was just kidding. I'm not actually gonna fight a rat."

"Not that," Nami waved a hand impatiently. "I mean this…. Us. We're _alive_ , Zoro. We did it."

"Huh. Yeah, I suppose we did." Zoro cracked his knuckles.

The navigator bit her lip. Being alive felt… well, it was almost indescribable. Her blood pounded in her veins as lightning coursed through her nervous system. Each breath felt like a gift, and every second was a fresh reminder of how precious life was. She shook, but whether it was from fear, or happiness, or pure adrenaline, she didn't know. Nor did she care. All she knew was that, in that moment, she was alone with Zoro in a dark room.

Zoro was a good friend, and a good man. He was honest. Hard working. Reliable.

He was strong- incredibly strong- and good looking, too. As she watched him, taking in all the features of his face, she found that it was no longer possible to contain herself.

She reached over and laid a hand over the top of Zoro's, which made him stop cracking his knuckles and look at her quizzically. His face went slack as he stared into her eyes, seeing something within them that put him at a loss for words, and made all the hairs on the back of his neck stand at attention. It was instinctual and almost warlike… but there was a pleasurable twist to it. The way she smiled at him, and the stars in her eyes that seemed to twinkle like little diamonds stole his breath from him.

"Thank you, Zoro."

Before he could reply, Nami had pressed her lips to his. The thrill of life seemed to get louder, thrumming within her chest like a wild melody that only she and Zoro could hear.

In that kiss, the two of them lost their fear and their anxiety. All of the tension that had built up during their fight to save Nico Robin uncoiled like a compressed spring, leaving them smiling and giggling as they broke apart. Zoro's laughter became strangled as he struggled to breath, and Nami failed to stifle her chuckling. They leaned against each other, smiling as the mirth gently faded away, leaving the both of them tired.

"The entire world is our enemy," Zoro said.

Nami bit her lip as her brow furrowed. She had been hoping he might say something a bit more romantic. Apparently, his sense of intimacy was as dull as his sense of direction. With a few of the right words, Nami might've fallen into his arms. Instead, he'd gone and reminded her of their mortal peril.

How… charming.

Licking her lips, the redhead leaned against him a bit more heavily. "I'm not worried about that."

The swordsman blinked, staring at her as though she'd just told him she liked to lick frogs.

"You probably should be." he told her.

Nami rolled her eyes. "I'm not scared because you'll protect me."

Her tone made it clear that she was trying to get him to say something sweet, but Zoro just looked clueless. It was as endearing as it was infuriating.

"But what if-"

"Ugh," she sighed, getting to her feet and storming away, "just forget it."

Zoro looked after her worriedly. Straining his ears, he could hear her muttering to herself about stupid boys and their abject cluelessness, right up until he heard the door that led up to the main deck slam shut.

* * *

The Going Merry was gone.

Though Nico Robin had not been a part of the Straw Hat's crew for very long, even she felt herself weep as the ship burned, and slowly sank beneath the waves.

But that was a couple days ago, now.

Now, she was surrounded by merry folk, celebrating yet another victory for the Straw Hat crew. For the moment, the situation was stable. The world government had leaned on the media, spreading the false report that Monkey D. Luffy and his band of dangerous pirates had destroyed Enies Lobby before escaping justice. The Marines had, quite conveniently, forgotten that they had actually been the ones doing all the destroying. It was their Buster Call that had levelled the base.

But the Straw Hats couldn't care less. Luffy was eating, still recovering from his battle with CP9's strongest agent, Lucci. Sanji was in his element, cooking up a storm over an open grill, making mountains of mouth-watering food from seemingly nothing. Zoro was drinking with the Franky Family, knocking back flagons of ale and tankards of whiskey with the best of them. Occasionally, the swordsman would steal jealous glances at the pool, where Nami sat in her bathing suit, reclined in a lawn chair as she basked in the glow of the sun and the thoughtful tending of several men who poured her wine and offered her food.

Usopp stood atop a pile of tables and chairs, enrapturing crowds with his tall tales and his Sniper King theme song. Chopper wove his way through the crowd, receiving compliments left and right from grateful people whom had received his care after the events on Enies Lobby. Many of them had been bandaged, and personally had their lives saves by the blue nosed reindeer.

To escape the chaotic ruckus of the party and get some fresh air, Nico Robin, the Straw Hat archaeologist, wandered over to a shady corner and leaned against the large stone privacy wall surrounding the compound. As she peered out over her crewmates… no, her _friends_ , she felt herself smile, as if her lips were forming it of their own accord. Her injuries had healed quite a bit since the events on Enies Lobby, but the cold stone was refreshing against the great bruises she'd received from being thrown around like a ragdoll at the hands of Spandam… but somehow the ache didn't bother her. The way Luffy yanked on his cheeks caused great outbreaks of mirth amongst the assembled crowd, and made her heart soar. Smiling felt good, and a soft chuckle escaped her throat. To be capable of smiling, even after all she had gone through, felt like nothing short of a miracle.

Her mind began to drift as she swirled the tropical drink in her hands. It seemed like it was only yesterday that she was fighting the Straw Hats as they took on Crocodile. Looking at them now, it was hard to believe how far they had all come.

An unseasonable chill fell over Robin, making her shiver. She didn't realize the cause until her drink froze in her hand, and her breath steamed in the air.

"Stay where you are and listen, Nico Robin."

It was Admiral Aokiji, and though he was on the other side of a concrete wall, Robin knew better than to try and run away. The bitter cold that had settled in her bones after being frozen had yet to fully fade from her memory, and it resurfaced with every second she spent in proximity to the Admiral.

As terrifying as it was to have one of the Navy's great powers only feet from her, Robin played it cool. There was no need to get everyone worked up, she and everyone else would only end up frozen. Aokiji was a man that they simply could not defeat. Not when everyone was already so worn down.

"Why didn't you try to escape like you usually do?" Aokiji wondered. "If you'd acted on your own, you could have gotten away from CP9."

Robin's eyebrows knit together as she strung together a coherent thought. Just being near Aokiji was enough to make her knees quake.

"Even you should know that this time was different," she said, just loud enough for the Admiral to hear, "I couldn't just abandon my crew. I couldn't leave them to die."

"You may not know this," Aokiji muttered darkly, "but your friend, Jaguar D. Saul, that I was forced to kill in Ohara, was my friend, too."

The horrifying memory of ice crawling across flesh, and a giant, hairy face frozen in a gruesome grimace that was caught somewhere between pain and laughter flashed in Robin's eyes. She could hear Saul's desperate cries for Aokiji to see reason ringing in her ears, like ancient bells echoing across the years to instill fear and make her tremble.

"Although I carried out my duty as a Marine that day, I also honored his wishes by sparing you, and helping you escape."

The Admiral paused. Robin could sense his thoughts churning, even from through the thick stone wall. When it seemed like he would never speak, and Robin opened her mouth to ask why he had come, he finally did.

"After that, I still felt responsible for your life," he admitted softly. "But when twenty years had passed and you still hadn't found a home, I began to fear Saul had made a mistake…. In the end, even I decided you were too dangerous to live. I was certain that Enies Lobby would end the story of Ohara once and for all. Of course, I never anticipated the Straw Hat's little gang would have defeated all of CP9."

There was a hint of awe in his voice. Just looking at the Straw Hats, no one would guess that they had the power to go up against the World Governments most lethal and covert killing force to date and survive, much less win the day. After an intense moment, Robin wondered if he had come to deal with them all personally. Then, she felt him slide a little further down the wall. All of the fight seemed gone from him as he sighed, "So, have you finally found the place where you belong?"

It would seem an impossible question to answer for most, like what career one would work for the rest of their lives, or something of that standard. Almost instinctively, Robin felt something within her grow frightened, like a horse that wanted to bolt and run. She wanted to sever ties with the Straw Hats before they could be shrouded in the darkness that would inevitably consume anyone she got close to. But just looking at them all… seeing them smile… watching them interact and laugh and make merry brought her joy. She recalled the determination painted on their faces when they had climbed the Tower of Justice and called over to her from their perch on the battlements. The hard, almost stone faced masks they had worn were so cold, so frightening to look at. It was like staring down a pack of wolves whom had come to rescue one of their own. Again, her ears rang with words from the past, but this time they were her own.

 _"I WANT TO LIIIIVE!"_ she had screamed, calling out so loudly that her voice cracked and her throat hurt _, "TAKE ME WITH YOU! TAKE ME AWAY FROM HERE!"_

And all at once, the answer to his query seemed obvious, like someone pulling a veil from her eyes.

"Yes," she decided.

On the other side of the wall, Aokiji felt a small smile curl across his lips. Nico Robin had, at long last, finally found a home, and friends. The Admiral could almost hear the laughter of his long dead friend, and a defiant " _I told you so!_ "

 _'It seems that Saul knew what he was talking about, to some extent._ ' Aokiji thought.

"In the end, I don't know if Saul was right. I don't know if what I've done is right or not either…. So now, I need you to show me the answer to that question."

The archaeologist's fear slowly gave way to a fiery determination as sweat beaded her brow.

"I intend to."

"Then live your life with courage," Aokiji's quiet footsteps preceded his retreating voice, "and prove that Ohara is still alive."

The intense chill that Aokiji carried with him vanished, and Robin's drink was unfrozen in an instant. Her skin so longer felt like it was burning up from the cold. Glass shattered as Robin cast her drink aside and dashed for a break in the wall. There were so many things she wanted to say, things she'd never properly thanked him for. He'd saved her life, he'd given her the chance to find a home.

"Aokiji!"

The Admiral was already gone. The only sign he had been there was an 'X' on the wall, made of sizzling, smoking ice. Robin scanned the tree line that surrounded the compound, searching in the shadows cast by the sunset for any signs of movement, but she saw none.

Luffy and Chopper called to her, and she turned around slowly, only to find Luffy's face stuffed to the brim, with chopsticks in his nose. His cheeks bulged like those of a squirrel storing food for the winter, and she felt her heart throb as she looked at her captain. As immature as he was, he always seemed to manage to lift her spirits and make her smile, even when one of the greatest powers of the Marines had snuck up on her, and could strike again at any second, if he wanted.

As she stood outside of the compound, warmth and light and sound all bombarded her from within. It was so overwhelming to the usually sedate bookworm that she was a little scared to go back in, but the sounds of her friends voices tugged at her heartstrings. These were the people that had fought and bled for her. These were the friends that had risked death and torture, and made themselves enemies of the World Government just to rescue her.

 _"No matter who you are, ain't no one born into this world to be alone!"_ Saul's ghost called to her.

Finally. At long last, she wasn't alone. She had friends, crewmates that would be by her side, no matter what. They would weather any darkness, and she would stand with them, proud of their kinship, and defiant in the faces of their enemies.

 _"Share your life with them,"_ Saul had told her, _"and never let them go."_

Robin smiled. She had no intention of ever letting go of the people to whom she owed so much.

 _'You were right, Saul.'_ She thought, hoping the giant would hear her words in the afterlife.

"Hey, Robin!" Luffy called, adamant in his refusal to remove the chopsticks from his nose.

With hope in her heart and spring in her gait, she raced back into the compound, pulled towards the first friends she had known since Ohara had been ransacked. Finally, she had found a place to call her own, and friends who would love and accept her, no matter what.

* * *

The party faded as night fell over Water Seven. The waves that only days ago had crested close to the very top of the city, and had left devastation in their receding wake, now lapped gently against the white stone of the water-bound town. The moon rose, and with its push and pull brought forth a tidal wave of weariness that washed over the town's citizens, which had been hard at work for days on end to reclaim the lower portions of the city that had been submerged.

And with the falling of night, and the rising of the tide, so too did odd desires stir within the archaeologist of the Straw Hat pirates.

Robin and the others were staying in a small guest wing in Galley Law's headquarters. It was the only place safe for them, as the influence of the ship building company was sufficient to keep out the media, the Marines (save Luffy's estranged grandfather and his subordinates), and the adoring fans that had come to catch a glimpse of the pirate crew that had not only saved their mayor, but taken on the World Government.

As Robin paced the study she had been granted so that she might read without disturbing the slumber of her comrades, the murmurs of her newly awakened heart pulled her from her reading.

She closed the book in her hand with a tired sigh, having tried rereading the same paragraph for fifth time before deciding that it was just no use.

But her discontent did not last. Thoughts of dark hair and black eyes that were as intense and deep as a stormy sea floated to the surface of her consciousness. Straw Hat Luffy, her captain and savior, had been on her mind for hours, now.

Though he had rescued her, and risked so much, even going so far as to push his own body to the point where he could not walk for days, he had asked nothing of her. As grateful as she was, Robin was not willing to let such an act go without thanks.

She had tried to thank him of course, but he had just told her to shut up.

And when she'd tried again a few hours ago, when the party had been disbanded and the Straw Hats had been seated around the dinner table for one final snack before bed, he had told her not to worry about it.

But how could she not?

It was not in Robin's nature to leave such an act undiscussed, or unrewarded. She had been a criminal for far too long it seemed, and the laws of the underworld were not so naïve as the laws that governed the logic of Monkey D. Luffy. Blood was repaid with blood, debts were collected through coin, barter, or servitude. Luffy had given blood, sweat, and tears to save her, and to leave the matter unresolved put an unsavory itch in Robin's spine. It irked her to think that she owed her captain something.

She took a seat in the chair behind the desk, slumping into its soft caress as she brought a hand to her face and rested her eyes. She wished desperately to sleep, but her wakefulness was a habit borne of necessity. She had been alone all her life, with no one to watch her back, and a world that was hot on her heels. If people were not driven to capture her on the basis of her bounty, they were after her for revenge. She had learned early on to go without sleep, and as a result she was awake for long hours into the night.

But if she could not get Luffy to accept her thanks, things would only get worse. Sleepless nights would grow even more restless. Her duties and research might even be affected. Her guilt at making the Straw Hats suffer for her sake would weigh her down like an anchor, until she was more of a burden than an asset.

Even so, she had no intentions of allowing things to progress to that point. One other thing she had learned during her tenure as an outlaw was that problems were not problems if they were uprooted and stomped out early.

Sitting up straight and crossing her arms, she focused upon the power of the Flower-Flower devil fruit, and sprouted a pair of eyes from the ceiling in the other room. It was dark, and it took her a few moments for her eyes to adjust. Soon enough, she could make out the shapes of her resting crewmates, and determine who was sleeping in which bed. Luffy, as it turned out, was easy to find.

He lay sprawled across his bed, his blankets having been pushed onto the floor in his sleep. His hands were behind his head, and his legs were crossed. Robin could hear his snoring from within the confines of the study. It seems she was correct in her assumption that eyes would be enough for her initial reconnaissance.

"Seis Fleur," she whispered.

Six hands rose from the bed Luffy was reclined on. To anyone else, such a sight would be indicative of a horrifying nightmare. With ease, the hands lifted the pirate captain from his bed, careful not to disturb his slumber, and carefully handed him along. He was passed over the disembodied arms like a crowd surfer, only coming to a stop when Robin had another arm open the door to the wing.

Robin opened her eyes and got to her feet. Going to the door, she threw it open to reveal Luffy, who was propped up and slowly tipped forward by the hands she had summoned. She caught her captain, gasping as how surprisingly heavy he was before slinging his arm over her shoulder and carrying him to the chair behind the desk.

The young man smelled of salty ocean waves and grilled meat, laced through with traces of sweat and wine, but it was not unpleasant. For someone who clearly valued their freedom, it was a blessing that he also maintained his hygiene.

Taking up the chair on the other side of the desk, Robin crossed her legs and arms, but propped one hand under her chin as she studied her captain.

His face was still extremely boyish, and retained the roundness of youth. Even while he slept, he snored loudly and smiled, no doubt dreaming of another grand adventure, just as whimsical and freeforming as any of their real life debacles. His silky black hair was messy, and still clearly warped from his constant wearing of his trademarked straw hat. The scar under his eye lent a sense of mysteriousness to his features. Knowing how resilient the young man was, Robin couldn't help but wonder what could possibly give Luffy a scar. She'd seen all number of weapons just bounce off the man. Not even the most recent firearms, with their improved ballistics and large calibers posed a threat to him.

He was skinny, almost frightfully so, but Robin knew why. Monkey D. Luffy was impulsive and wild. He could burn off a full four course meal after just a few minutes of unarmed combat. It was a wonder the Straw Hat Pirates hadn't collapsed, given how much they had to spend on food and other supplies.

Robin traced Luffy's face with a delicate expression. He may not have had the most notable features, but that wasn't what she cared about. Luffy's most incredible power didn't stem from his devil fruit abilities, nor from his natural charisma. They came from his heart.

Somehow, he could bond with anyone. Even the hardest of criminals could find a soft spot in their hearts for such a person. Robin knew as much, because she had been a criminal for some time. Within minutes, Luffy could connect on a fundamental level with people he'd never met. That included people that most folks wouldn't dare approach with a ten foot pole, like Roronoa Zoro for instance.

And not only that, he could even make them smile.

Wherever he went, he always seemed to have a grin plastered on his face. It only ever fell away in the presence of an enemy, or danger. Otherwise, he could light up a room with his confident grin.

The power to make people smile when they could not do so themselves was what had captured Robin's attention, and stolen her heart.

A man who could, or would, do that for someone in need no doubt had a heart of gold. When Robin's reason for living had been snatched away from her, Luffy had given her the strength to keep going. And when he had come to save her-

 _"I WANT TO LIIIIVE!"_

He had made her say those words. She hadn't done it to escape her captors, though. Luffy had, through his seemingly supernatural ability to connect, allowed Robin to regain the life she had been prepared to throw away. He had reignited her passions as easily as he might snatch a dusty memento from a shelf, wipe it clean on his vest, and hand it to her.

The memory of his daring rescue made her smile, and Robin had to blink away tears.

Monkey D Luffy had saved her life. There was only one thing she could do, now. Such a debt could not go unpaid.

The young man awoke with a stifled yawn, and Robin watched his expressions shift as her pulse raced. In an instant, he went from pleasantly contented, to confused, and then went right back to being happy when he saw the woman sitting across from him.

"Oh, hey, Robin. Where am I? I thought I went to bed already. I was having a crazy dream."

His eyelids fluttered. Before they could close, Robin snapped her fingers.

Arms flew from the chair Luffy was sitting in and bound him to it. Dozens of powerful hands wrapped around his limbs and held him still. Two more clamped over his mouth, muffling his surprised yelp.

He frowned at Robin and said, "Mmmph?"

"Don't worry, captain. I'm not going to hurt you, but I needed to speak to you in private, and I didn't want you to fall asleep."

The arms withdrew, vanishing in a burst of flower petals, but not before Robin felt something slimy on her hand. With a start, she realized Luffy had licked the hand that had covered his mouth, and it had transferred to her palm.

With a devilish grin, he smacked his lips.

"Salty," he noted.

Normally, Robin might have been disgusted. She'd have sighed, and wiped the saliva onto her shirt without a second though, but for some reason, she found that the touch of Luffy's tongue had sent her navel spiraling into infinity. Her knees wobbled for a moment before she straightened in her chair and recrossed her legs.

She noted how Luffy's eyes wondered down in the instant she had changed her position, following the progress of her movements with a strange expression. It was a look she'd seen worn on multitudes of faces, by men whose hearts were filled with lust. Luffy, on the other hand, looked uncomfortable… almost scared. It was pitiably adorable, unlike with all of those other men.

Robin smiled. Clearly, Luffy still didn't know about the birds and the bees, which only served to make her chuckle. The Marines had been bested by a man who didn't know a damned thing about women beyond their ability to get results. How delightful.

"So what's up, Robin? And why are you smiling like that? Did you think of a funny joke?"

"Hmm? Oh, it's nothing," she said. "Anyway, captain, I wanted to talk to you in private so that I could thank you for-"

"Shut up," Luffy interrupted. "I didn't save you for your thanks. I saved you cause you're my friend."

Friend… somehow, the word seemed double edged to Robin. She'd had many 'friends' and she knew how many meanings such a word could have. Putting that thought aside, Robin stood from her chair.

"Regardless, there is a debt between us. Honor demands that I give satisfactory compensation, so I am at your disposal. Ask of me what you will, captain."

Tingles shot up Robin's limbs before settling in her chest. The look on Luffy's face was inscrutable, but she was sure she knew what was coming. For someone such as him to be given such an opportunity was rare indeed, even with other women on the crew.

"Well, for starters, can you just call me Luffy from now on? Always calling me 'captain' makes me think you don't wanna be on the crew," he reasoned.

Robin blinked. She had only been referring to her crew mates with their titles. It was a habit- a bad one- that stemmed from her belief she would not be able to stay with them. Now, however, it was the only safe place she had. Her friends had given up more than enough to earn her respect… and that extended to the proper use of their names, as well.

"My apologies, Luffy. I'll do my best to meet your expectations. But surely there must be more to it than that? I am _utterly_ at your disposal."

Robin felt Luffy's gaze upon her, and she shivered. She knew what was coming from the way he stared at her, with that excited hunger in his eyes… any moment now, he would ask her for the compensation only a woman could provide.

"Now that you mention it," Luffy looked around nervously, his eyes roving to and fro as he tapped his fingers against the arm of his chair. Robin gulped as anticipation flared within her. She would do anything for Luffy, and she would do it without hesitation. Perhaps he would not be so clueless as to the ways of women for much longer.

"You wish something of me?" Robin asked, her voice soft and sultry as she looked her captain up and down.

"Yeah… there's something I need, and you're probably the only person I can trust to help me with it," he said quietly. "Here's what I need you to do…."

* * *

Ten minutes later, Robin was sitting in her chair, red faced as Luffy ate a sandwich she had prepared and snuck into the study using her devil fruit powers. It had been hard to see in the kitchen, but she had managed to pick the lock on the fridge, slice the meat, and layer it with Luffy's favorite condiments.

 _'I feel so stupid,'_ she thought to herself. ' _Luffy is almost ten years my junior. Why on Earth was I feeling so tempted by him? Did I really expect him to be so interested in the opposite sex when I know he's obsessed with his goals?'_

"Aw, man," Luffy said, leaning back in his chair and patting his belly, "that hit the spot. Thanks Robin, you're the best."

His praise only made her feel hot about the collar, and she fanned herself to keep cool. She bit her lip as hard as she could without drawing blood to try and keep herself calm.

"You're welcome," she said shortly, unable to meet Luffy's eyes.

The captain of the Straw Hat Pirates stood, his eyes half closed as he made for the door. He stopped with his hand on the knob, noting that Robin had grabbed hold of his wrist, and his arm had stretched to almost ten feet.

"Captain-"

"Luffy," he corrected her.

"Luffy... are you sure there's nothing else you want from me? Nothing at all?"

To make her position clear, Robin reached up with one hand and slowly undid the buttons to her shirt, exposing ample amounts of cleavage to Luffy. He frowned, his mouth hanging agape as he stared without reservation, but something felt wrong. His posture indicated that he was frightened, and the way he gripped the handle of the door made Robin feel as though he were moments away from bolting.

"I see. So you're simply not interested in women," Robin said quietly. She released his wrist and buttoned her shirt once more, feeling both downtrodden and relieved. It was odd to think that she could not seduce her captain, but it was also relieving in that it meant Luffy had not been swayed to save her simply because he desired her in that manner.

"Hey, Robin? Y-you're really pretty when you smile."

She looked up, only to find that Luffy was grinning once more.

"If you really wanna do something for me, I'd really like to see you smile more often, ok?" Luffy continued. "Something about it just makes me feel really good."

He put a hand to his stomach, wherein butterflies were churning. It was strange how they only acted up when Robin was nearby, but it definitely had something to do with how she looked when she smiled. When she had unbuttoned her shirt, he'd felt something else… something darker, and far more instinctual, like how he felt when he was fighting. But he could worry about that later. If she really wanted to thank him, all she needed to do was show him that smile.

And she did. She beamed at him, and her features lit up as she crossed the room and took Luffy into her arms. A hug was not all she had expected to give him, but it was certainly a start.

"Thank you, Luffy. Thank you for… everything."

He pulled her close, and Robin let herself melt into his embrace. How could someone so juvenile have such a strong, comforting caress? His body heat was so enticing in that chilly little study, she never wanted to let him go.

"Heh, no problem. I'll always keep you safe, Robin. I promise."

"And I'll be sure to smile," she replied softly, "just for you."

* * *

 ** _Author's Notes:_**

 ** _Ladies and gentleman, weighing in at almost ten thousand words, this behemoth of a chapter is ready to rumbllllllllllllllllllllle!_**

 ** _Long time no see. Nope, I'm not dead. Just really busy. And this is the longest chapter in this fic. It was on a little break, and I just kept picking away at it until I realized that I had almost ten thousand words and I might as well post what I had. We also had a perspective shift to take a little break from all the NamixZoro. I think I've already explained to you guys how romance is hard to write without being repetitive, so I needed a break from those two as well. Enter Luffy and Robin, and this is what you get._**

 ** _In any case, I'm glad to finally get this posted. I was working on another story, and then all of a sudden my inner writing voice went kaput. Let's just say a writer with nothing to write is a recipe for crippling existentialism that I'd be glad to never experience again._**

 ** _Not really sure I like the whole RobinxLuffy thing, but it was certainly fun to write. Maybe I'll play around with the dynamic a bit more..._**

 ** _But I'm tired, so I'll sign off with a few songs for you guys to listen to._**

 ** _*Music*_**

 ** _To Nose Making-Hozier (check out his new album. It's chalk full of good'uns)_**

 ** _Wrong Way- Sublime (an older tune, but it checks out)_**

 ** _Go Easy-Matt Maeson (also has new music. Scope it out)_**

 ** _Ive Been Waiting-Lil Peep &ILoveMakonnen ft. Fall Out Boy_**

 ** _Devilish-Chase Atlantic_**

 ** _What U Call That-Chase Atlantic_**

 ** _Leave the Light On-Zero_**

 ** _Swear To God-blackbear_**

 ** _That's all for now. Have a good weekend, my guys._**


	15. A Rude Awakening: Nami's Anger!

The day after Moria's defeat was a cause for celebration for most of the people who'd been trapped on Thriller Bark. Pale men who hadn't seen the sun in many years were finally free to lay outside in the sunlight. They savored the warmth on their skin as it seemed to fill the gaping hole that hopelessness and despair had left in their hearts.

The Straw Hats Pirates were boisterous as well. Luffy in particular was in splendid shape, and had no problem showing it. He leapt about, taking joy in the way his body was as pain free as ever. After his battle with Lucci, he'd been unable to move for days. Now, however, he was bouncing off of the woodwork. In his mind, he could only assume that he'd grown stronger.

Few knew better, and those that did refused to tell him the truth, for there was another hero amongst the Straw Hats; one that had very nearly died for the sake of every person on that island-like ship.

Roronoa Zoro, the swordsman of the Straw Hat Pirates, had been left incapacitated by Bartholomew Kuma after coming to an accord. He would assume every injury and absorb every pain that Luffy had suffered during his battle with Oars and Moria. In his condition, his death would be inevitable, but it was a fair price, in his eyes. Everyone else would be safe. He would repay his crewmates for being so easily incapacitated by Moria's minions. His life would be a fair trade to see Luffy reach the summit of his potential, and become the King of the Pirates.

Few others knew why Zoro had been found standing amidst a great field of blood splatters. They didn't know the extent of his resolve, nor the infallibility of his determination to save Nami, Luffy, and the rest of his crew.

And speaking of the navigator, she clung to the treasure that Perona had stashed away on the Thousand Sunny before the ghost girl had been banished by Kuma. After seeing Zoro drenched in blood, and so beaten and bruised that he couldn't even fall over, Nami had been living with a seed of doubt gnawing away at her gut, growing more and more with each passing hour.

Zoro had been under Chopper's intensive care since he'd been discovered, but that was no guarantee that he would survive. As practiced at the reindeer was, Zoro's condition was so precarious that the slightest mistake could prove fatal.

Even the icy feeling of cold golden doubloons on Nami's flesh couldn't stave off the fear that something might have happened to the bounty hunter. She had been assured that Chopper would send word with any updates, but that did nothing to belay her doubts. She wanted to see Zoro, and make sure he was ok for herself.

So when Luffy and Franky took supplies and food to Chopper and the other survivors of the Thriller Bark incident, she decided to take a break from tallying up the worth of their newfound treasure to tag along with them.

The survivors had set up a temporary base within the crumbling ruins of the mansion, the interior of which was now completely exposed to the azure sky and golden sunlight, probably for the first time since it was built. Zoro was laid up on a table, and Chopper worked feverishly to restore the swordsman to health. Thus far, however, he had only managed to halt death's encroachment. The swordsman didn't seem to be getting any better.

As the survivors salted their wounds and prepared for what would be the party of a lifetime, Nami sat on the bench and looked over Zoro carefully.

His body was covered in so many bandages that she could barely see his tanned skin. His swords lay at his side, as if having them there might keep the swordsman from slipping away. How many times had Zoro told them that a swordsman's blade was akin to his very soul?

Glancing around nervously, Nami put her hand on Zoro's. His fingers were stiff and cold, and she swallowed back a sob as she realized he seemed lifeless.

 _'Zoro,_ ' she thought miserably, ' _what happened to you?'_

* * *

Pain. So much pain. Zoro wished it would end, that the pain would go away. He was no stranger to it, and in many cases, pain was the best teacher he could ask for… but in this, he found no lessons to be learned. Mind numbing, world ending, blackout causing pain erupted within every fiber of his being, so deeply entrenched that he was sure he would be unable to move or think or act until he had long since rotted away into oblivion.

And what could he possibly learn from this? That he needed to be stronger? There was no strength to be gained from such agony. He felt as if he were standing upon the precipice of a dark abyss, and the pain he felt was pulling him headlong into it.

But then, there was warmth: a heat so frightening stark and tingly that it felt like Zoro's hand was on fire. It hurt, but not as the rest of his body did. This was a different kind of pain, that cut through all the rest. It was the kind of pain that told him he was not dead yet. He was… still alive?

The inky darkness surrounding Zoro fell away, and when he opened his eyes, the world was bright. He heard sounds of happiness, and all at once, he felt memories of his time amongst the Straw Hat pirates come flooding back to him. It was a tidal wave of good times, fierce battles, and hardships that seemed insurmountable. His body was stiff and rigid, and he could not even muster the strength to move it.

"Z-Zoro?! Zoro, can you hear me? Are you awake?!"

He could not understand the words that were said to him. The only thing he could recognize was his name. Someone was calling him… but who?

That was when a beautiful woman he felt he knew leaned over him. Her hair was the color of a tangerine, and her large eyes were brimming with tears, though she appeared to be smiling brightly. She looked so happy, so excited. But why? Zoro wanted to ask her. He wanted to respond, to thank this woman for bringing him back from the brink of... whatever abyss he'd been about to fall into.

His hand still felt hot, and glancing down, he saw why. The woman standing over him had her hand in his. She clutched his stiff, unmoving fingers so tightly that the tingling numbness was falling away, replaced by more pain.

Then, before he could register anything more, he found himself slipping out of consciousness once again.

* * *

Two long days and nights of merry making and celebration passed around Zoro as he slumbered, and Nami spent every second she could at his side, drowning her fears in several tankards of the mansion's fine ale.

Chopper had done the best he could to heal the swordsman, and so Nami volunteered to do what little she could to make sure his condition did not turn south again. She gave him water, checked his pulse, made sure he was partially responsive, and did her utmost not to have a mental breakdown.

Say what you will, but between a ship full of gold that was worth a fortune, and Zoro's precarious health, Nami wasn't sure which was the most pressing matter. That changed, however, on the dawn of the third day, when the swordsman sat upright, yawned, and swung his legs off the table so that he could go find a bathroom.

Nami, who had been sitting at his side, nursing throbbing hangover with yet more booze, couldn't believe her eyes. She was on her feet in a flash, and it was a good thing, because as soon as Zoro's feet hit the floor, his legs buckled underneath him, and he hit the ground walking.

"Just where do you think you're going?" Nami growled.

"Bathroom," Zoro groaned, his nose still pressed hard against the ground as he tried to push himself back onto his feet.

"Not just yet, you're not," she said. "Come with me! Now!"

Nami held Zoro by the collar, helping him regain his footing before marching him off to a ruined room off the main hall that had once been the kitchen, but was now largely unusable due to a massive pile of rubble on the floor, and a gargantuan foot shaped hole in the ceiling, which could have come from either Luffy, Oars, or Moria. Nami wasn't quite sure which.

Nami slammed the door shut behind her and flung Zoro rather unceremoniously into a chair. All of her rage at the swordsman's antics put such a knot in her gut that she found her hangover completely gone, usurped by a rage borne of her worrying over this man for three days, only to be labelled a secondary priority to a god damned toilet.

"You SON OF A BITCH!" Nami slapped the swordsman hard across the face, making the back of his head knock against the wall.

She was breathing heavily, and rage made her quake right down to her very core. Zoro fell back against the wall, a small line of blood trailing from his mouth. His teeth were bared in a cocky smile. "Good to see you, too, Nami."

"Do you have any idea how worried I was?!" she asked. "You were dead to the world for two days- TWO DAYS! I was worried sick about you, I gave you water! I checked your bandages! I helped nurse you back to health! I was at your side day and night!"

"Thanks for that," Zoro said, "I'm actually feeling a bit better."

"Cut the crap," Nami snapped. "I didn't do it for your thanks. Zoro… what the hell happened to you? Why did they find you standing in a field of your own blood, so beat up that you couldn't even fall over?"

Nami felt her eyes well up with hot, salty tears, but she forced herself to meet Zoro's eyes, which narrowed as he frowned at her.

"Nothing," he mumbled. "Nothing happened."

"Lie to me again," Nami took a threatening step forward. "I dare you, Roronoa Zoro. I saved your life, and I will not hesitate to take it away from you."

She gripped the collar of his shirt, but the swordsman did not flinch. Nami could see his mind turning as he considered telling her the truth. In the end, he looked over her shoulder and said, "Nothing happened. That's all there is to tell."

Nami let Zoro fall back into his chair, her stomach sinking lower with every minute. Clearly there was more to this, something that Zoro would not tell her. But why? What could be so terrible that even Zoro would not want his closest friends to know?

And that's when it struck Nami that she had hurt Zoro even more. The blood still ran unfettered from his lip, and the hand print on his face was now a dark, angry maroon.

"Stay here," she ordered quietly.

The navigator stalked off, and Zoro remained quietly in his chair, taking several deep breaths. He was still so very tired, and he had so much work to do if he was going to get stronger. If Bartholomew Kuma was any indication of what awaited them in the New World the entire crew had their work cut out for them. The swordsman could not bear the brunt of their burdens forever.

Nami was back in a few minutes, carrying an ice pack and a damp cloth.

"Sorry," Zoro said suddenly.

Nami paused, halfway through closing the door. Then she let it slide shut, and locked it with a quiet click.

"I... I'm sorry, too," Nami muttered, unable to meet Zoro's eyes, or look at the damage she'd done to the already severely wounded man. "I was just so worried about you. I thought you woke up a couple days ago… and since then, you haven't moved. Not even a twitch."

She swung her legs wide and straddled Zoro in the chair, gently dabbing away the blood from his lip and pressing the ice pack to his cheek. Within moments, the color had returned to Zoro's face, along with a healthy flush of color that told her he was unprepared for such closeness.

"I remember that," Zoro admitted, trying to keep his body under control. "I saw you… I think you saved me from… something."

"I saved you from something?"

Zoro nodded. "I thought I was dreaming. There was an abyss. It was pulling me in and... well, when I woke up, you were there, holding my hand. After that, I didn't have that dream any more. I can't help but think you saved me from something I probably wouldn't have come back from. So thanks, I guess."

Nami smiled. She pulled away the ice pack and tilted her head as she admired her handiwork. Then her eyebrows knit together worriedly. "You've got something on your face."

She gently pressed her lips against Zoro's sore cheek, and it felt like fire slowly spreading over his flesh.

"Nevermind, it was just me." She handed him the ice pack and stood up, smiling to herself. It was a bright, warm new day. Her friends were alive, Zoro was awake. All that was left was to finish counting up the massive treasure awaiting her on the Thousand Sunny.

"Thanks," Zoro smiled. "Not for hitting me but, y'know, for everything else."

"You're welcome. Oh, and the next time 'nothing' happens, remember you've got people that worry and care about you… so try not to die, idiot."

Nami was gone in the next moment, leaving Zoro alone in the crumbling ruins of the kitchen with a split lip, a splitting headache, and a strange sensation in his gut like a dozen butterflies doing loop-da-loops.

"Women," he grinned to himself, wincing as he put the ice pack against his cheek once more and sank into his chair.

* * *

 _ **Author's Notes:  
**_

 _ **Ok, so I've had this bad boy sitting on my hard drive for months. I wanted to spruce it up, make it longer, et cetera, but I'm afraid there just isn't much to go on at this point on the One Piece story. Not to mention I'm already well past the Thriller Bark Arc, and have actually gotten past the Impel Down Arc, too. I waited and watched, but then I sort of fell off the One Piece bandwagon for a while there, due largely to life, other projects, and a lack of interest. Consider this story officially on hiatus until I return to watching One Piece and am granted something to work with by the powers that be. I'm sure there'll be more, and I have yet to watch any of the movies (which I can't seem to find anywhere on any streaming service) so I guess it's not goodbye forever. That's the great thing about One Piece. There's always more of it. But yeah, for now, this is the last chapter of this fic. I'll meet you all on the other side of this hiatus.**_

 _ **Here's some music to listen to**_

 _ **Through and Through-Khai Dreams**_

 _ **Sunkissed-Khai Dreams**_

 _ **Travels-Khai Dreams ft. Atwood**_

 _ **Happier-Marshmello ft. Bastille (bonus points if you watch the incredible OP amv by Luffytaro on Youtube)**_

 _ **onoffonoff-Keshi (my relationship with the poor fools who read this story lmao)**_

 _ **Rip this fic until further notice, friends. Keep fighting the good fight. Drink water. Punch Celestial Dragons in their stupid faces to save your mermaid friends from lifetimes of slavery.**_

 _ **Oh, and thanks for reading.**_


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